# University of Auckland

The University of Auckland (UoA; Māori: Waipapa Taumata Rau) is a public research university based in Auckland, New Zealand. The institution was established in 1883 as a constituent college of the University of New Zealand. Initially located in a repurposed courthouse, the university has grown substantially over the years. As of 2024, it stands as the largest university in New Zealand by enrolment, teaching approximately 43,000 students across three major campuses in central Auckland.
The university conducts teaching and learning within six faculties, two research institutes, and other institutes and centres. The City Campus, in the Auckland central business district, hosts the majority of students and faculties.

## History
### Origins

The University of Auckland began as a constituent college of the University of New Zealand, founded on 23 May 1883 as Auckland University College. Stewardship of the university during its establishment period was the responsibility of John Chapman Andrew (Vice Chancellor of the University of New Zealand 1885–1903). Housed in a disused courthouse and jail, it started out with 95 students and 4 teaching staff: Frederick Douglas Brown, professor of chemistry (London and Oxford); Algernon Phillips Withiel Thomas, professor of natural sciences (Oxford); Thomas George Tucker, professor of classics (Cambridge); and William Steadman Aldis, professor of mathematics (Cambridge). By 1901, student numbers had risen to 156; the majority of these students were training towards being law clerks or teachers and were enrolled part-time.

### Development of a research culture

The university conducted little research until the 1930s, when there was a spike in interest in academic research during the Great Depression. At this point, the college's executive council issued several resolutions in favour of academic freedom after the controversial dismissal of John Beaglehole (allegedly for a letter to a newspaper where he publicly defended the right of communists to distribute their literature), which helped encourage the college's growth.
In 1934, four new professors joined the college: Arthur Sewell (English), H.G. Forder (Mathematics), C.G. Cooper (Classics) and James Rutherford (History). The combination of new talent, and academic freedom saw Auckland University College flourish through to the 1950s.
In 1950, the Elam School of Fine Arts was brought into the University of Auckland. Archie Fisher, who had been appointed principal of the Elam School of Fine Arts was instrumental in having it brought in the University of Auckland.

### Making a name

The University of New Zealand was dissolved in 1961 and the University of Auckland was empowered by the University of Auckland Act 1961.
The university was gifted its Māori name, Waipapa Taumata Rau, by Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei in 2021.
In 1966, lecturers Keith Sinclair and Bob Chapman established The University of Auckland Art Collection, beginning with the purchase of several paintings and drawings by Colin McCahon. The Collection is now managed by the Centre for Art Research, based at the Gus Fisher Gallery. Stage A of the Science building was opened by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother on 3 May. In 1975–81 Marie Clay and Patricia Bergquist, the first two female professors, were appointed.

### Growth and consolidation

Queen Elizabeth II opened the new School of Medicine Building at Grafton on 24 March 1970. The Queen also opened the Liggins Institute in 2002.
The North Shore Campus, established in 2001, was located in the suburb of Takapuna. It offered the Bachelor of Business and Information Management degree. The faculty was served by its own library. At the end of 2006, the campus was closed, and the degree relocated to the City campus.
On 1 September 2004, the Auckland College of Education merged with the university's School of Education (previously part of the Arts Faculty) to form the Faculty of Education and Social Work. The faculty was based at the Epsom Campus of the former college, with an additional campus in Whangārei.
Professor Stuart McCutcheon became vice-chancellor on 1 January 2005. He was previously the vice-chancellor of Victoria University of Wellington. He succeeded Dr John Hood (PhD, Hon. LLD), who was appointed vice-chancellor of the University of Oxford. On 16 March 2020, McCutcheon was succeeded by Professor Dawn Freshwater, the first female vice-chancellor in the university's history.
The university opened a new business school in 2007, following the completion of the Information Commons. It has recently gained international accreditations for all its programmes and now completes the "Triple Crown" (AMBA, EQUIS and AACSB).
In 2009, the university embarked on a NZ$1 billion 10-year plan to redevelop and expand its facilities. The $240 million Grafton Campus upgrade was completed in 2011. In May 2013 the university purchased a site for new 5.2-hectare campus on a former Lion Breweries site adjacent to the major business area in Newmarket. The Faculty of Engineering and the School of Chemical Sciences moved into the new faculties in 2015. The NZ$200 million new Science Centre was opened in July 2017. The NZ$280 million new Engineering Building was completed in 2019. In 2017, work started on the building of a new $116m medical school building in Grafton Campus. In 2019, work began on the redevelopment of the University Recreation Centre in the City Campus. The new recreation centre, Hiwa, opened in 2024. The University of Auckland has also built multiple student accommodation buildings, and it became the largest provider of student accommodation in New Zealand.

## Organisation and administration
### Governance

The head of the university is the chancellor, currently Cecilia Tarrant. However, this position is only titular. The chief executive of the university is the vice-chancellor, currently Professor Dawn Freshwater, who is the university's sixth vice-chancellor, and the first woman to hold the role.

#### List of chancellors

Since 1957, when Auckland University College became the University of Auckland, the university has had 13 chancellors. Previously, the college council had been headed by a president (from 1923), or a chairman (1883–1923).
| | Name | Term |
| Chairman ||||
| 1 | Maurice O'Rorke | 1883–1916 |
| 2 | Thomson Leys | 1916–1920 |
| 3 | George Fowlds | 1920–1923 |
| President ||||
| 1 | George Fowlds | 1923–1933 |
| 2 | Kenneth Mackenzie | 1933–1935 |
| 3 | Tom Wells | 1935–1937 |
| 4 | Harold Mahon | 1937–1938 |
| 5 | William Cocker | 1938–1957 |
| Chancellor ||||
| 1 | William Cocker | 1957–1961 |
| 2 | Douglas Robb | 1961–1968 |
| 3 | Henry Cooper | 1968–1974 |
| 4 | Graham Speight | 1975–1980 |
| 5 | Lindo Ferguson | 1981–1986 |
| 6 | Mick Brown | 1986–1991 |
| 7 | Ian Barker | 1991–1999 |
| 8 | John Graham | 1999–2004 |
| 9 | Hugh Fletcher | 2004–2008 |
| 10 | Roger France | 2008–2012 |
| 11 | Ian Parton | 2012–2016 |
| 12 | Scott St John | 2017–2021 |
| 13 | Cecilia Tarrant | 2021–present |

### Faculties and schools

The university is made up of a number of faculties and schools.

#### List of faculties and schools

* Faculty of Arts and Education
* Business School
* Faculty of Engineering and Design
* Auckland Law School
* Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences
* Faculty of Science

### Research institutes

* Auckland Bioengineering Institute (ABI)
* Liggins Institute
* Public Policy Institute (PPI)

### Auckland University Press

Auckland University Press is a publisher established in 1966, owned and operated by the University of Auckland.

### Coat of arms

The University of Auckland's Arms (crest) were granted by letters patent on 15 February 1962, and are recorded in the College of Arms, London, England.
Coat of arms of the University of Auckland :
* Granted15 February 1962; 63 years ago (15 February 1962)
* EscutcheonThe shield is azure (blue) with an argent (silver) mullet (five-pointed star). Between the stars is an open book ‘proper’ i.e. in its natural colours. The edge of the book and the binding are gold (‘Or’) and it is bound with seven gold clasps on either side which close the book securely. Its ‘chief’ (broad strip at the top of the shield) is wavy, that is the base of the chief is in a wave-like line. The chief is argent and on it are three kiwis ‘proper’ meaning they are shown in their natural colour.
* MottoIngenio et Labore. (Latin) By natural ability and hard work
* SymbolismThe open book together with the motto ‘Ingenio et Labore’, freely translated as ‘by natural ability and hard work’, reflects the aim of the institution and, combined with the three stars, expresses the idea of learning pursued under the Southern Hemisphere sky. The kiwis are indicative of New Zealand, as the bird is confined to its islands, and the silver wavy chief upon which they are set directs attention to the fact that Auckland is on the coast.

## Campuses and facilities
### Campuses

The University of Auckland has a number of campuses in Auckland, and one in Whangārei in the Northland Region.
From the start of the first semester of 2010, the university banned smoking on any of its property, including inside and outside buildings in areas that were once designated as smoking areas.

#### City Campus

The City Campus in the Auckland CBD has the majority of the students and faculties. It covers 16 hectares and has a range of amenities including cafes, health services, libraries, childcare facilities and a recreation centre.

#### Grafton Campus

The Grafton Campus, established in 1968, is opposite Auckland City Hospital in the suburb of Grafton, close to the City Campus. The Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences is based here, along with the Eye Clinic.

#### Newmarket Campus

The Newmarket Campus was acquired from Lion, when operations ceased at its Newmarket brewery in 2010, selling the site to the university in May 2013. The university has built an engineering research space and a civil structures hall. This new campus houses the Faculties of Engineering and Science.

#### Other campuses and facilities

* The Tai Tokerau Campus in Whangārei offers teacher education courses to the Northland community.
* The Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences also has several satellite campuses and research facilities including the Waitemata Health Campus (which services North Shore Hospital and Waitakere Hospital), the Freemasons' Department of Geriatric Medicine at North Shore Hospital, the South Auckland Clinical Campus at Middlemore Hospital, and the Waikato Clinical School.
* The Leigh Marine Laboratory is effectively the marine campus and hosts postgraduate teaching and research at the Cape Rodney-Okakari Point Marine Reserve (Goat Island) near Warkworth. Situated on the east coast, about 100 km north of the city of Auckland, it has access to a wide range of unspoiled marine habitats.
* The South Auckland Campus – Te Papa Ako o Tai Tonga opened in February 2020 in Manukau, and replaced the Faculty of Education courses that were offered at Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT) prior to the opening of the campus.
* Goldie Estate – Wine Science Centre. In July 2011 Kim and Jeanette Goldwater gifted a 14-hectare winery in Waiheke Island to the university. The Wine Science Centre currently hosts the university's Wine Science courses.

#### Former campuses

The Tāmaki Innovations Campus was located in the east Auckland suburb of St Johns. It was a predominantly postgraduate campus offering training and research security in health innovation and "biodiversity and biosecurity innovation." The Tamaki campus was closed down in 2020 and its former programs were relocated to the city, Grafton, and Newmarket campuses.
The Epsom Campus, located in Epsom, Auckland, was the main teacher training campus, offering programmes in teacher education and social services. It had been the Auckland College of Education's main campus, until the college merged with the university's School of Education in September 2004 to form the Faculty of Education and Social Work. There were plans to close down the Epsom Campus in 2020 and relocate the Faculty of Education and Social Work to the City Campus. Later, the closure of the Epsom Campus was postponed to late 2023, with teaching resuming at the City Campus's refurbished Building 201 in early 2024.

### Overseas campuses and facilities
#### The University of Auckland Innovation Institute China (UOAIIC)

UOAIIC was established by the University of Auckland and UniServices, the commercialisation arm and knowledge transfer company of the University of Auckland, in 2017 in the Chinese city of Hangzhou. The Institute occupies a 2800m² physical space in the Hangzhou Qiantang New Area. UOAIIC is led by Dr Yuan Li. It organises annual conferences and meetings for the university to seek commercial opportunities for its research in China.

#### Aulin College

Aulin College, based in Harbin, China, was set up by the University of Auckland and the Northeast Forestry University (NEFU) of China in 2019. The name 'Aulin' is a combination of the word "Au" (from the name "Auckland") and "Lin", which is the Chinese word for farming and agriculture. In September 2019, Aulin College had its first intake of undergraduate students. Aulin College offers Bachelor's and master's degrees in Biotechnology, Chemistry, Computer Science and Technology. Graduates will receive degrees from both the University of Auckland and NEFU.

### Libraries

The University of Auckland Library system consists of the General Library and four specialist libraries: the Davis Law Library, Leigh Marine Laboratory Library, the Philson Library (Medical and Health Sciences), and the Sylvia Ashton-Warner Library (Education and Social Work) on the Tai Tokerau campus.
In mid-2018, Vice-Chancellor McCutcheon announced that the university would be closing its Fine Arts, Architecture and Planning, and Music and Dance Libraries. Their collections were merged into the General Library's collections.
The General Library Special Collections stores several rare books, manuscripts and archives and other material relating to the University of Auckland, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands. Some notable manuscript collections include the Western Pacific Archives (which contains British colonial records relating to that region between 1877 and 1978), the poet Robin Hyde's papers, and the archives of the New Zealand Electronic Poetry Centre, local Labour Party branches, and the New Zealand Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament. The Special Collections also has several published collections including the Patterson Collection (which contains books on biblical studies, classics, and ancient history), children's author Betty Gilderdale's collection of New Zealand children's books, the Philson Library's collections of pre-1900 medical books, and the Asian Language Collection (which contains 230 titles of rare Chinese books). Some notable microtext collections include the Māori Land Court Minute Books and the Pacific Manuscripts Bureau series.

### Student accommodation

The University of Auckland provides a range of accommodation options for students. Several hundred live in Residential Halls and Apartments, which provide, food, accommodation, and social and welfare services alongside self-catered, private residences. The university ceased leasing Railway Campus in November 2008.
The university has four residential halls including Grafton Hall, O'Rorke Hall, University Hall–Towers, and Waipārūrū Hall. These halls are full-catered and are aimed at first–year university students.
In addition, the university runs nine self-catered student residences including Te Tirohanga o te Tōangaroa, Carlaw Park Student Village, Grafton Student Flats, 55 Symonds, University Hall–Towers, UniLodge Auckland, UniLodge on Whitaker, Waikohanga House, and the Goldie Estate Homestead on Waiheke Island. These halls and student residences are located in the Auckland CBD area near the university.

### Hiwa, Recreation Centre

A new recreational centre, named Hiwa, opened in the city campus in November 2024. It replaced the old recreation centre that was built in 1978, when the university had approximately 10,000 students studying on city campus. Hiwa was built at a cost of NZ$320 million. Vice-Chancellor Dawn Freshwater and Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop officially opened the building on 21 February 2025.

### Art Collection

Established in 1966 by Keith Sinclair and Bob Chapman, The Art Collection is one of the university's most valuable and cherished assets. However, its most poignant value lies in its use as a resource for teaching, learning and research. Available on loan to departments and faculties on all campuses, the Collection has been built up over forty years to include major works by significant artists such as Frances Hodgkins, Colin McCahon, Luise Fong, Billy Apple and Ralph Hotere. Outcomes from postgraduate research on the Collection have included a thesis on its own history as an entity, monograph exhibitions on individual artists, and surveys of the impact of the evolution of the Collection on Auckland's dealer galleries, resulting in the exhibitions and publications Vuletic and His Circle (about the Petar/James Gallery) in 2003 and New Vision Gallery in 2008.

## Academic Profile
### Admission and costs

All universities in New Zealand require domestic students to achieve, at a minimum, NZQA University Entrance (UE) to be eligible to enrol. International students must achieve an equivalent, approved qualification from their home country or an approved Foundation programme provider in New Zealand. International students whose first language is not English will also need to provide proof of their English proficiency. All students who did not complete their high school education or equivalent in English are required to provide a valid IELTS score (minimum of 6.0) or equivalent.
The University of Auckland imposes a minimum rank score requirement for each programme offered, an entry requirement calculated based on the applicant's academic performance in secondary school or an equivalent approved qualification. Select programmes will require prior completion or concurrent enrollment in another programme.

### Reputation and rankings

The University of Auckland is New Zealand's leading university. It is the highest ranked New Zealand university in the QS World University Rankings and Shanghai Jiao Tong Academic Ranking of World Universities, and along with the University of Otago and the Auckland University of Technology is included in the Times Higher Education top 250.
QS World University Rankings The University of Auckland has consistently ranked as a top 100 university in the QS World University Rankings. The University of Auckland ranked 65 globally in the 2025 QS World University Rankings, rising three places from its ranking of 68 in the 2024 QS rankings. The University of Auckland was also ranked 5th in the QS World University Sustainability Rankings which measure an institution's ability to tackle global environmental, social and governance (ESG) challenges. The University also ranked in the top 100 in several QS subject rankings including: Arts & Humanities (ranked 70), Life Sciences & Medicine (ranked 89), and Social Sciences & Management (ranked =69).
University Impact Rankings In 2020, the University of Auckland is ranked Number 1 globally in the University Impact Rankings by Times Higher Education. The result recognised the university's performance against the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, as well as the university's commitment to sustainability and making positive social impacts.
PBRF rankings The University of Auckland is a research-led university, and had the second highest ranking in the 2006 and 2012 Performance Based Research Fund (PBRF) exercises and the fourth highest ranking in the 2018 PBRF exercise. The Performance Based Research Fund exercises are conducted by the government and evaluate the quality of researchers and research output of all tertiary institutions in New Zealand.
In the previous PBRF evaluation in 2003, when the university was ranked the top research university in New Zealand, the Commission commented: "On virtually any measure, the University of Auckland is the country’s leading research university. Not only did it achieve the highest quality score of any TEO [tertiary education organisation], but it also has by far the largest share of A-rated researchers in the country."

### CECIL

CECIL (CSL, short for Computer Supported Learning) was the university's learning management and course management system before Canvas and was developed in-house. It had more than 44,000 log-ins per day (2008 April). Cecil support staff worked with academics on research into cheating detections during online assessment, productivity improvement using a learning management system (LMS), and effectiveness of tools in LMS. Cecil contains many of the features of similar systems such as Sakai Project and WebCT. Cecil also provides interactive tools for collaboration and other tools specific to the university. In 2014, a review of learning and teaching technology was initiated, seeking to replace Cecil. The review determined that Canvas (a learning management system developed by Instructure) would be implemented prior to the commencement of the 2016 academic year, and CECIL now acts as an archive for old courses.

## Student life
### Students' association

The Auckland University Students' Association (AUSA) is the representative body of students, formed in 1891. AUSA publicises student issues, administers student facilities, and assists affiliated student clubs and societies. AUSA produces the student magazine Craccum, and runs the radio station 95bFM. The name of the alumni association is the University of Auckland Society.

### Student demographics

| Ethnicity of students | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
| Asian | 22,530 (48.9%) | 21,796 (47.1%) | 20,965 (45.5%) | 19,611 (45.6%) | 19,466 (45.1%) | 18,621 (43.5%) |
| European | 14,195 (30.8%) | 14,906 (32.2%) | 15,372 (33.4%) | 14,308 (33.3%) | 14,570 (33.8%) | 14,985 (35.0%) |
| Pasifika | 3,834 (8.3%) | 4,043 (8.7%) | 4,058 (8.8%) | 3,714 (8.6%) | 3,638 (8.4%) | 3,704 (8.7%) |
| Māori | 3,092 (6.7%) | 3,285 (7.1%) | 3,363 (7.3%) | 3,073 (7.1%) | 3,117 (7.2%) | 3,078 (7.2%) |
| Middle Eastern, Latin American, African (MELAA) | 1,761 (3.8%) | 1,675 (3.6%) | 1,689 (3.7%) | 1,607 (3.7%) | 1,579 (3.7%) | 1,559 (3.6%) |
| Other | 632 (1.4%) | 584 (1.3%) | 601 (1.3%) | 687 (1.6%) | 778 (1.8%) | 812 (1.9%) |
| Total | 46,044 | 46,289 | 46,048 | 43,000 | 43,148 | 42,759 |

## Controversies
### Restructuring measures

In April 2016, Vice-Chancellor Stuart McCutcheon announced that University of Auckland would be selling off its Epsom and Tamaki campuses in order to consolidate education and services at the city, Grafton, and Newmarket campuses. The Epsom Campus is the site of the University of Auckland's education faculty while the Tamaki campus hosts elements of the medical and science faculties as well as the School of Population Health.
In mid-June 2018, McCutcheon announced that the university would be closing down and merging its specialist fine arts, architecture, and music and dance libraries into the City Campus' General Library. In addition, the university would cut 100 support jobs. The Vice-Chancellor claimed that these cutbacks would save between NZ$3 million and $4 million a year. This announcement triggered criticism and several protests from arts faculty and students. Students objected to the closure of the Elam Fine Arts Library on the grounds that it would make it harder to access study materials. Thousands of dissenters circulated a petition protesting the Vice-Chancellor's restructuring policies. Protests were also held in April, May, and June 2018.

### Fossil fuel divestment controversy

In April 2017, more than 100 students from the Auckland University Medical Students Association marched demanding the removal of coal, oil and gas from the university's investment portfolio. In May 2017, 14 people from student group Fossil Fuel UoA occupied the Clocktower, urging current Vice Chancellor Professor Stuart McCutcheon to issue a statement in support of divestment from fossil fuels. After twelve hours, they were forcibly removed by police. The following day over two hundred students and staff marched to demand divestment from fossil fuels and more than 240 members of staff from 8 faculties signed an open letter supporting divestment to the Boards of the University of Auckland Foundation and School of Medicine Foundation. Today, the University of Auckland Foundation has a Responsible Investment Policy. The foundation has now effectively eliminated fossil fuels from its investment portfolio. As at 31 December 2021, only 0.005% (31 December 2020 0.49%) of the foundation's investments were held in companies deriving revenue from fossil fuels.

### Vice Chancellor's house

In early December 2020, the Auditor-General's Office released its report criticising the University of Auckland's decision to purchase a NZ$5 million house in Auckland's Parnell suburb for Vice Chancellor Dawn Freshwater, ruling that the university had not been able to show a "justifiable business purpose" for purchasing the house apart from Freshwater's personal benefit. The purchase of the house had been criticised as frivolous by student unions. In October 2020, Vice Chancellor Freshwater had recommended that the university's board sell the house to pay off debt and because COVID-19 social distancing restrictions had made it impossible to host functions there.

### Siouxsie Wiles v University of Auckland

In January 2022 Siouxsie Wiles and Shaun Hendy filed claims with the Employment Relations Authority against the University of Auckland. They alleged that the University did not protect them from harassment for their COVID-19 commentary advocacy for vaccination. In October 2022, Hendy resolved the dispute after leaving the university. Wiles started the hearing in early November 2023, and at the end of three week hearing, Judge Holden reserved her decision. On 8 July 2024, the Employment Court ruled in Wiles' favour. The Court also ruled that the University did not breach her academic freedom. The University was ordered to pay Wiles' NZ$20,000 in damages.

### 2024 student accommodation rent strike

In 2024, a group of students residing in University of Auckland accommodation initiated "rent strike" on 1 May 2024, following an 8% increase in accommodation costs for the academic year.

### 2024 course review

In August 2024 the University's leadership notified academics across the institution that a "course optimisation" was in progress. This would reduce the number of courses offered at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels, and was met with outcry by faculty members. The senate, a group of senior faculty who advise the University Council, voted to pause the ongoing curriculum redesign that had prompted the proposed changes. There were also objections from students and Tertiary Education Union members, who formed a group protesting the changes.

## Notable people
### Notable alumni
#### Academia

* Alexandra Brewis Slade, anthropologist
* Margaret Brimble, organic chemist
* Dianne Brunton, ecology academic, professor at Massey University
* Jemma Field, historian
* Colleen M. Flood, professor at University of Ottawa and Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada
* Rom Harré, Oxford philosopher
* Christian Hartinger, inorganic chemist
* Harry Hawthorn, Canadian anthropologist
* John Hood, former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford
* Susan Kemp, social work academic
* Charlotte Macdonald, historian
* Diane M. Mackie, social psychologist
* Constant Mews, authority on medieval religious thought
* Snejina Michailova, full professor at The University of Auckland
* Susan Moller Okin, philosopher
* Janis Paterson, academic developmental psychologist, founding director of the longitudinal Pacific Islands Families Study
* Peter C. B. Phillip
* Elizabeth Rata, professor of education
* Papaarangi Mary-Jane Reid, public health academic
* Graham Smith, academic
* Terry Sturm, professor of English
* Rory Sweetman, historian
* Ronald Syme, pre-eminent New Zealand classicist of the 20th century
* Tarisi Vunidilo, Fijian archaeologist and curator
* Rorden Wilkinson, political economist
* David Wills, translator of Jacques Derrida

#### Art

* Louie Bretaña, artist
* Vidyamala Burch, writer and mindfulness teacher
* Gill Gatfield, sculptor
* Ian George, artist
* Bob Kerr, artist and author
* Luise Fong, artist and educator
* Rachael McKenna, photographer
* Reuben Paterson, artist
* Cheryll Sotheran, founder of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
* Benjamin Work, artist
* Saraid de Silva, writer

#### Business

* Vincent Cheng, chairman of HSBC
* Shayne Elliott (born 1963/64), New Zealand banker
* Paul Huljich, CEO of Best Corporation, author
* Ross Keenan (born 1943), businessperson
* Jane Taylor, chair of New Zealand Post and Landcare Research

#### Film and television

* Philippa Boyens, Academy Award-winning screenwriter
* Niki Caro, film director, producer and screenwriter.
* Jacqueline Feather, screenwriter
* Lucy Lawless, actress
* Yasmine Ryan (ca. 1983 – 2017), journalist
* Christine Tan, CNBC news anchor
* Karl Rock, YouTuber

#### Music

* Marcus Chang, Taiwanese singer-songwriter & actor
* Gary Chaw, singer-songwriter
* Gareth Farr, composer
* Tim Finn, musician
* Jeffrey Grice, pianist
* David Griffiths, composer, singer, lecturer
* Anthony Jennings, harpsichordist, organist, choral and orchestral director
* Ashley Lawrence, conductor
* Marya Martin, flautist
* Douglas Mews, early music specialist
* Shirley Setia, singer and actress
* Wilma Smith, Fijian-born concert violinist and music teacher
* Derek Williams, composer, arranger, conductor, lecturer

#### Politics and Law

* Jan Beagle, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations
* Simon Bridges, former Opposition Leader, former leader of the New Zealand National Party
* Helen Clark, former Prime Minister of New Zealand, former Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme
* Colin Craig, businessman and leader of the Conservative Party of New Zealand
* Jennifer Curtin, public policy
* Sian Elias, New Zealand Chief Justice 1999–2019
* Jeanette Fitzsimons, New Zealand politician and environmentalist
* Lowell Goddard, Judge
* Jonathan Hunt, former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Order of New Zealand
* Sir Kenneth James Keith, New Zealand Judge appointed to the International Court of Justice
* David Lange, former Prime Minister of New Zealand
* Viliami Latu, Tongan Minister of Police
* Tuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi, Prime Minister of Samoa
* Leslie Munro, former New Zealand's permanent representative to the United Nations, former President of the Trusteeship Council, former President of the United Nations General Assembly, three times President of the Security Council
* Shai Navot, former leader of The Opportunities Party
* Winston Peters, politician and leader of the NZ First party
* Anthony Randerson, New Zealand Chief High Court Judge from December 2004 to February 2010. Now a Judge of the New Zealand Court of Appeal
* Mike Rann, former Premier of South Australia, and future Australian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom
* Anand Satyanand, Governor General, New Zealand 2006–2011
* Peter Thomson, Fijian diplomat, Fiji's former Permanent Representative to the United Nations, former President of the General Assembly of the United Nations
* Taufa Vakatale, former Deputy Prime Minister of Fiji
* Vangelis Vitalis, diplomat
* Helen Winkelmann, New Zealand Chief Justice 2019–present

#### Science and technology

* Penelope Brothers, chemist
* Howard Carmichael, physicist
* Helen Danesh-Meyer, ophthalmology academic
* Sir Richard Faull, Neuroscientist
* Lynnette Ferguson
* Crispin Gardiner, physicist
* Ross Ihaka, statistician
* Sir Vaughan Jones, Fields medallist
* Sir Harold Marshall, acoustician and architect
* Stephen Parke, physicist
* Richard John Pentreath, British marine scientist
* William Sage Rapson, chemist
* Daniel Frank Walls, physicist
* Jennifer Mary Weller, anaesthesiology academic
* Anne Wyllie, microbial disease epidemiologist

#### Sports

* Jo Aleh (born 1986), sailor, national champion, world champion, and Olympic champion
* Russell Coutts (born 1962), yachtsman
* Richard de Groen (born 1962), Test cricketer and Olympic and Commonwealth Games administrator
* Mahé Drysdale (born 1978), Australian-born New Zealand rower, Mayor of Tauranga, 2024–present
* Michael Jones (born 1965), rugby player and coach
* Jerome Kaino (born 1983), American Samoan-born New Zealand rugby player
* Eliza McCartney (born 1996), New Zealand Olympic pole vaulter
* Jean Spencer (born 1940), United Kingdom-born New Zealand Olympic gymnast

### Notable faculty

Until his death in 2009, the longest serving staff member was Emeritus Professor of Prehistory, Roger Curtis Green, BA BSc (New Mexico), PhD (Harv.), FRSNZ, MANAS. He had been on the staff 1961–66 and from 1973 onwards. The longest serving, non-'retired' staff member is Bernard Brown, ONZM, LLB (Hons) (Leeds), LLM (Sing.). He has been a full-time senior lecturer in the faculty of law 1962-65 and 1969 onwards. William Phillips, the influential economist largely famed for his Phillips curve, taught at the university from 1969 until his death in 1975. The programming language R, widely used by statisticians and data scientists, was developed at the university by Robert Gentleman and Ross Ihaka in the 1990s.
According to the Association of University Staff of New Zealand (AUS) in 2007, New Zealand universities, including the University of Auckland, had been taking a more litigious approach to managing their staff in recent years and engaged lawyers and employment advocates to handle even minor matters. The University of Auckland "paid out more than $780,000 in 2006 to settle problems it listed as including personal grievances and disputes". For example, Paul Buchanan, a popular, world-renowned lecturer on international relations and security, was summarily dismissed in 2007 because a student to whom he sent an email complained that she found his comments about her performance in his class to be offensive. He was later reinstated, but this was just a formality and he never returned to lecturing. As the AUS would not financially support a case for full reinstatement, Buchanan accepted the formal reinstatement and a nominal monetary payout as a settlement of his appeal to the Employment Court.