University of Auckland proposes changes to faculties

The University of Auckland is proposing a change to its faculty arrangements designed to enhance collaboration, interdisciplinary work, and research opportunities and position them for the evolving tertiary education environment.

The decision to propose this change follows the University’s prudent financial management during the early months of the Covid-19 pandemic. This ensured a stable financial position for the University and has enabled University leaders to consider how best to shape the institution for the future.

The University is seeking feedback from staff and students on a proposal that would create a new faculty combining the existing Faculties of Arts, Education and Social Work, the Elam School of Fine Arts, the School of Music, and the Dance Programme. Additionally, there is a proposal for the School of Architecture and Planning and the Design Programme, currently part of the Faculty of Creative Arts and Industries, to be aligned either with the proposed new faculty or with the existing Faculty of Engineering.

The proposed change is driven by the University’s strategic goals and offers the opportunity to strengthen resilience in our areas of excellence, enable increased collaboration across and within faculties, and enhance the scale and concentration needed for future success. It would enable greater experiential learning opportunities and provide access to a wider variety of courses and subjects for our students, across a wide range of disciplines.

The change is designed to enhance inter- and transdisciplinary research and provide broader experiences and career development opportunities for professional and technical staff.

The University’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dawn Freshwater, said: “This proposed change reflects our commitment to excellence in a dynamic and changing tertiary education environment and to ensuring that our learning and teaching programmes and our world-leading research and innovation continue to thrive.

“We are inviting our staff and students to provide feedback on this proposal. Their perspectives are important as we consider a change that will bring some disciplines together in a single faculty. This would ensure that there is scale and concentration, at a national level, of some critically important programmes.”

The Faculty of Education and Social Work moved to the City Campus from Epsom this year and already shares offices, research and learning spaces with the Faculties of Arts and Creative Arts and Industries, in an award-winning 6 green-star design building on Symonds Street.