University of Canterbury
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| University of Canterbury | |
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| Motto | Ergo tua rura manebunt "therefore may your fields remain [unto you]" (Virgil, Eclogues) |
| Established | 1873 |
| Chancellor | Dr Robin Mann |
| Vice-Chancellor | Professor Roy Sharp |
| Location | Christchurch, New Zealand |
| Students | 12,600 total (1,800 graduate) |
| Homepage | http://www.canterbury.ac.nz/ |
The University of Canterbury is a university located in the suburbs of the city of Christchurch, New Zealand. It offers degrees in Arts, Commerce, Education, Engineering, Fine Arts, Forestry, Law, Music, and Science.
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Campus
UoC_library.JPG
The University has a 760,000 square metre site at Ilam, a suburb of Christchurch about 7 km from the city centre. There are five libraries with the 11 storey Central Library being the tallest building on the campus. Also of note is the Rutherford Building, which houses the Physics & Astronomy and Chemistry departments.
There are five Halls of residence: Bishop Julius Hall, College House, Rochester and Rutherford Hall, University Hall, Ilam Village.
UoC_science_lecture_theatres.JPG
There are four field stations that are administered by the Field Facilities Centre:
- Cass Field Station - Provides a wide range of environments - montane grasslands, scrub, riverbed, scree, beech forest, swamp, bog, lake, stream and alpine habitats can all be reached by day trips on foot
- Edward Percival Field Station - Facilities for studying live animals
- Hari Hari Field Station - Access to native forest
- Westport Field Station - study of the West Coast of New Zealand
The Department of Physics and Astronomy run their own field laboratory:
- Mount John University Observatory at Tekapo for optical astronomical research
- Birdlings Flat radar facility
- Scott Base radar facility
- Cashmere Cavern ring laser facility
The Department of Physics and Astronomy is also involved in the Southern African Large Telescope.
Organisation
The Vice-Chancellor is Professor Roy Sharp, who has held this position since 2003. The governing body of the University is the Council. The Council Chair is the Chancellor, who in 2004 is Dr Robin Mann. Also on the council are representatives from the faculties, students and general staff.
There are six faculties:
- Humanities and Social Sciences
- Business and Economics
- Engineering and Forestry
- Science
- Visual and Performing Arts
- Law
The University is state funded.
Students and faculty
As of 2003, there were a total of 12,591 students, with 1,864 being Post-Graduates and 2,094 being international students (students who are not New Zealand citizens or residents). There were 653 academic staff and 892 general staff.
Student Association and Traditions
The University of Canterbury Student Association (UCSA (http://www.ucsa.org.nz)) is active on campus with its own radio station RDU and magazine Canta. They also run several bars, the 430 seat Ngaio Marsh Theatre, and several cafes around campus.
There are several societies and clubs. The most prominent of these is Ensoc (http://www.ensoc.com), The Engineering Society.
One of the biggest traditions is the Undie 500. This is an annual car rally from Christchurch to Dunedin run by Ensoc. The only stipulation is the car must cost under $500.
History
The university was established in 1873 in the centre of Christchurch as Canterbury College, the first constituent college of the University of New Zealand. It was the second institution in New Zealand providing tertiary level education, following the University of Otago which was established in 1869, and the fourth in Australasia.
It was created out of the efforts of the Canterbury Museum and Library and Christ's College, which were dissatisfied with the state of higher education in Canterbury. From 1871 to 1873 Christ's College was an affiliated college of the University of New Zealand. When Canterbury College was established in 1873 Christ's College became affiliated to the Canterbury College.
In 1933, the College's name was changed from Canterbury College to Canterbury University College. In 1957 its name was changed again to the present University of Canterbury. Also in 1957 Christ's College became disaffiliated, and the upper department of Christ's joined the University as College House.
Until 1961, the University College had been part of the University of New Zealand, and issued degrees in its name. In that year the federal system was dissolved and the University of Canterbury became an independent University issuing its own degrees.
Upon the UNZ's demise, the Canterbury Agricultural College became a constituent college of the University of Canterbury, becoming Lincoln College, Canterbury. Lincoln College was made independent in 1990, becoming a full university.
Over the period 1961 - 1974, the university campus relocated from the centre of the city to its much larger current site in the suburb of Ilam. The neo-gothic buildings of the old campus are now the site of the Christchurch Arts Centre, a hub for arts, crafts and entertainment in Christchurch.
Coat of Arms
The University inherited the arms of the former Canterbury College.
The "dead sheep" (actually a silver fleece) symbolises the pastoral pursuits of the province of Canterbury, while the plough on the base of the shield symbolises agriculture. The symbols from the at the top are (from left to right) Bishop's pall, an open book and a cross flory. The two crosses represent Canterbury's ecclesiastical connections. As it is an institution of learning, the University's coat of arms does not have a helmet, crest or mantling on its armorial bearings.
Noted alumni and faculty
- Lord Rutherford of Nelson. Displays on Lord Rutherford can be seen at the Rutherford Birthplace, Nelson, and at the Arts Centre.
- Karl Popper - philosopher of science who lectured from 1937 - 1946
- Sir Apirana Ngata - early Maori politician
- Beatrice Tinsley - astronomer, conducted significant research on galaxies
- Roy Kerr - Mathematician, solved Einstein's equations for a rotating black hole
- Sir William Pickering - distinguished director of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory for 22 years
- Sam Neill - Actor
See also
- University of Auckland
- Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology
- Lincoln University, New Zealand
- Otago University
- Waikato University
- Victoria University of Wellington
- Massey University
- Auckland Institute of Technology
- Waikato Polytechnic
External links
- University of Canterbury website (http://www.canterbury.ac.nz/)
Other universities named Canterbury:
- University of Kent at Canterbury, England -- website (http://www.ukc.ac.uk/)
- Canterbury Christ Church University College also at Canterbury, England -- website (http://www.canterbury.ac.uk/)