Over 1,600 qualifications will be awarded at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington graduation ceremonies this week.
These celebrations are a milestone for Te Herenga Waka as the first graduates will collect their qualifications at the first Te Hui Whakapumau celebrations at Te Tumu Herenga Waka, after its reawakening last week during the opening of Ngā Mokopuna.
Qualifications will be awarded to 1,516 graduates, who will graduate in six ceremonies. Our parade begins at 1 pm on Thursday 12 December along a different route than usual.
Graduates will walk from the Government Buildings via Lambton Quay and Johnson St to Queens Wharf Square, before our ceremonies are held at Michael Fowler Centre.
“Graduation is the highlight of the year for our graduates and their whānau, as well as the whole university community. At the parade, we love to see Wellington come out to witness the benefits of our staff’s commitment to their students,” says Chancellor John Allen.
“Graduation is a collective achievement—nobody gets to this point in their journey alone, and seeing their supporters cheering them on in the streets of Wellington is a fitting culmination of their journey.”
“This is the first time we’ve had two ceremonies at Te Hui Whakapumau, to allow a larger cohort of Māori graduates than usual to graduate at our reopened Te Tumu Herenga Waka. It’s a great pleasure to welcome them to our graduate community,” says Mr Allen.
The University will award PhDs to 97 graduates at the December ceremony. These graduates have added significantly to research in their fields, and our society is enriched thanks to this.
Vice-Chancellor Nic Smith says this cohort of graduates deserve every moment of praise for their incredible accomplishments.
“The energy and enthusiasm of our students are at the heart of what makes Wellington truly distinctive. Through their passion and dedication, they not only shape our university but also leave an indelible mark on our city by engaging deeply with the community.”
“As our graduates embark on their journeys, I am excited to witness the extraordinary contributions they will make, joining a global whānau of 140,000 alumni who continue to inspire and lead worldwide. Congratulations to each and every one of you on this remarkable achievement—you are the pride of our university and the promise of our future.”
Read stories about several of our graduates: https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/news?q=Graduation
Note about opening of Ngā Mokopuna, Friday 6 December
On Friday 6 December, the university opened Ngā Mokopuna, the university’s new living building™ (formerly known as the Living Pā), and reawakened our wharenui, Te Tumu Herenga Waka. Ngā Mokopuna means descendents in te reo Māori, and reflects our commitment to nurturing future generations. The construction of the building demonstrates our commitment to manaakitanga and kaitiakitanga and will help us to act with more care towards people and the natural world. During the opening ceremony, two prominent Māori scholars, Sir Pou Temara (Tūhoe), and Te Ripowai Higgins (Tūhoe), received honorary doctorates.
About Graduation
Parade
From 1 pm on Thursday 12 December, staff and students will parade in full academic dress from Old Government Buildings on Lambton Quay through to Queen’s Wharf Square. This is a different route to usual, so please follow our parade volunteers if you wish to cheer the graduates on.
Graduation ceremonies:
Wednesday 11 December
Ceremony 1, 9.30 am, Michael Fowler Centre
Wellington Faculty of Science
Wellington Faculty of Engineering
Ceremony 2, 3 pm, Michael Fowler Centre
Wellington Faculty of Architecture and Design Innovation
Wellington Faculty of Health
Thursday 12 December
Ceremony 3, 9.30 am, Michael Fowler Centre
Wellington School of Business and Government
Faculty of Law
Ceremony 4, 3 pm, Michael Fowler Centre
Wellington Faculty of Education
Wellington Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Friday 13 December—Te Hui Whakapūmau
Ceremony 1, 9.30 am, Te Herenga Waka Marae
Wellington Faculty of Education
Wellington Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Ceremony 2, 2 pm, Te Herenga Waka Marae
All other faculties.
