Otago's reputation for excellence

New Zealand's first university and the first choice for more than 21,000 students.

Founded in 1869, the University of Otago is New Zealand’s oldest university. Today it has a nationwide presence and enjoys an international reputation for excellence. Over the past 154 years Otago has successfully balanced the traditions of its history with modern scholarship and world-class research.

Top 1%

of higher education institutions in the world
#1

NZ University for educational performance
Top 5%

in world rankings for sustainability
96%

of graduates go directly into work or further study

Top global rankings

The University of Otago is ranked in the top 1% of higher education institutes in the world and is the second highest ranked university in New Zealand.

Otago also has the highest-possible rating of 5 Stars Plus in the QS global university performance ratings.

We are the only New Zealand University in the top 20 of the QS World Rankings by Subject.

More about our rankings

Employability

Outstanding graduate employability

Employers love Otago graduates. 96% of our graduates go directly into work or further study.

Otago’s award-winning Career Development Centre offers students at all stages of study a wide range of services including career and study planning, help with job applications, work experience opportunities and graduate recruitment.

Lecturer in front of projector screen

Excellence in teaching and learning

The University of Otago is New Zealand’s top university for educational performance.

We are nationally recognized for teaching excellence, and we proactively foster learning in priority groups.

For 8 of the past 11 years, our teachers have beaten all other universities and polytechnics to win the Prime Minister's Supreme Award for Teaching Excellence.

Excellence in Research

The University of Otago is proud to be one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s top research universities.

The University of Otago was awarded the most research funding by the Health Research Council of any New Zealand university in 2023 and the second highest in the Royal Society Te Apārangi-administered Marsden Fund.

Our researchers also won significant national and international awards.

Research at Otago

Commitment as a local, national and global citizen

The University of Otago contributes to its local communities and regions, Aotearoa New Zealand and the world through volunteering, community service and contributions to the arts.

Over 80% of academic staff are involved in community service activities and the University provides over 100 performing arts activities to the public each year.

Otago was also the first university in New Zealand to achieve Fair Trade status, and is a Rainbow Tick certified employer.

Social responsibility at Otago

World-class campus environments

The University of Otago boasts outstanding campus environments and is a leader in sustainability initiatives.

Otago ranks in the top 5% in the world rankings for sustainability and our new Te Rangihīroa residential college is a five Green Star sustainability standard building.

In the latest Student Opinion Survey, 97.3% of students gave a positive assessment of the general campus environment.

Sustainability at Otago

Leading-edge facilities

The University of Otago's Central Library (one of nine libraries at Otago) has been considered one of the best in the world.
Home to the departments of Human Nutrition, Food Science and Chemistry, the Mellor Laboratories offer state-of-the-art teaching laboratories, a dietetics laboratory, the bioengineering laboratory and a metal-free Clean Lab.
The Otago Business School hosts one of the largest academic training labs in New Zealand, with 12 Bloomberg Professional terminals.
Otago's Faculty of Dentistry is New Zealand's National Centre for Dentistry and is ranked in the top 50 dental schools in the world.
The Faculty of Dentistry’s Clinical Services Building is the most technologically advanced facility in Australasia for teaching, patient care and research.
The Performing Arts Centre incorporates a recording studio, performance spaces, recording booths and practice rooms, all equipped with the latest cutting-edge technology.
Our new Te Rangihīroa Residential College has won multiple architectural awards and is a five Green Star sustainability standard building.

Inspirational graduates

Many of our young alumni have achieved great things in a wide array of arenas and within diverse aspects of many different communities.

These young alumni are true trailblazers who challenge the status quo to make a better future for all of us.

The 20Twenties awards celebrate and acknowledge their achievements.

20Twenties Young Alumni Awards