Launching a new campus within a developing city centre has granted The University of Waikato a unique opportunity to create an innovative way of teaching. This distinctive campus isn’t just a place to study, it offers an experience integrated with the bustling business community around us.
As we welcome our new cohort of students in 2025, we are continuing to advance our vision of creating an integrated campus. It presents a new way of learning and engaging by allowing students and researchers to connect directly with industry through smart design and partnerships while maximising the convenience of its location.
The campus furthers our vital role within the Knowledge Precinct, one of eight precincts in Tauranga City Council’s City Centre Action and Investment Plan, each intended to establish a unique sense of identity throughout the city.
The Knowledge Precinct concentrates on education facilities and creates a feeling of a ‘campus within the city’. It features teaching and research facilities, education and research-based commercial enterprises, a campus courtyard, cafes and accommodation for students, professionals and visitors.
We have worked alongside city planners, leaders and the economic development organisation, Priority One, to identify ways to integrate our campus into the city around us.
The result is an award-winning campus woven together with a cultural narrative (established in collaboration with Tauranga Moana iwi) that works in harmony with the needs of teachers, students and visitors.
Connectivity is enhanced by multiple access points into our campus courtyard and main building, while our busy campus cafe, 101 Café Experiment, opens directly onto Durham Street, and draws visitors from around the CBD for business meetings, social catch-ups and creative sessions.
Our two accommodation provisions, Durham Mews and Selwyn Street Studios, are both within walking distance of the campus.
Selwyn Street Studios is also capable of providing accommodation for conferences and events, and we are continuing to explore further student accommodation offerings to be based within the city centre.
There is potential to expand our vision for Tauranga even further. This year, in partnership with design and engineering consultancy, Beca NZ, and the local council, we’re hosting an exploratory workshop with students and businesses to dig into what it means to create a student-centric city.
Our expansion also includes a new purpose-built engineering lab and more research facilities set to open at our Cameron Road properties.
In addition, our campus is growing as a commercial venue with 13 bookable spaces suitable for large conferences, expos and gala dinners as well as small meetings and networking events.
Welcoming the business community into our space and creating a new way of interacting with our campus is an effective way to expose our students to the worlds of business and research.
Commercial development is advancing in Durham Street where we are excited to see the 159 Durham concept (led by Fosters construction) forming a new commercial space for thriving businesses just down the street from our campus.
The council’s new laneway project, linking Durham and Grey Streets, will further enhance pedestrian access between the university’s campus and the city, connecting it with the Retail and Commercial Precinct.
This year will bring great advances for our role within Tauranga’s Knowledge Precinct and wider city centre through an integrated campus that connects directly with business and the community.
If you haven’t stopped by recently, come and see the humming and vibrant space we are creating with students, businesses and researchers.
