Source: Radio New Zealand
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Chair of Te Arataura, Tukoroirangi Morgan, break ground on the new University of Waikato medical school building site. Stephen Barker / The University of Waikato
The University of Waikato held a groundbreaking ceremony on Friday for its new medical school building.
In practical terms, the ground had already been broken for the New Zealand Graduate School of Medicine, with heavy machinery on site and project fencing up.
Artist’s impression of the New Zealand Graduate School of Medicine. Supplied
But, as university chancellor Susan Hassall said, groundbreaking ceremonies are symbolic, offering participants an opportunity to celebrate the excitement of a new beginning.
It was a new beginning that many at the ceremony felt had been too hard fought.
A National Party election promise, the proposal hit opposition almost immediately, including from government coalition partners, the opposition, and the country’s existing medical schools.
University of Waikato vice chancellor Neil Quigley addressed why it took so much time and effort to get to this point.
Visitors are welcomed onto the University of Waikato before the groundbreaking ceremony on 5 December 2025. Stephen Barker / The University of Waikato
He said, in part, it was because when change was proposed, incumbents have the resources to try to convince the public and decision-makers that a new offering was either not needed or would not be as good.
“Well said, well said,” replied Prime Minister Luxon from his seat.
“It’s taken great political leadership… to overcome the forces that oppose change and to get us to this point today,” said Quigley.
The prime minister also spoke of the opposition the project faced.
“It has been quite a fight because a lot of the political parties in Parliament haven’t wanted to support this at all, for various reasons,” he said.
But National had long believed that a third medical school was needed, he said.
“I think the message is pretty simple: this is a country that has one medical school for every 2.6 million people. Australia has one medical school for every 1.2 million people. This is a country where we have 350 New Zealand students now studying in Australian medical schools because they couldn’t get places here.”
Many speakers thanked Universities Minister Shane Reti for the work he did in opposition and while Minister of Health to encourage the university to persevere with the project and to advocate for the project within government.
Reti deflected praise to others.
Universities Minister Shane Reti thanked those “who nourished the dream of a third medical school”. RNZ / Libby Kirkby-McLeod
“I want to acknowledge the many, many people, over many, many years, who bring us to this point today, who nourished the dream of a third medical school.”
The new school marked a new approach to medical training in New Zealand, he said.
“An innovative approach like this supports our focus on strengthening primary care, especially in rural environments, helping people to see a doctor more easily and improving the distribution of doctors across the country.”
The four-storey teaching and learning building is where medical students will spend their first year in the four-year programme studying biomedical sciences and the social factors that influence health.
In the second to fourth year, the students will be based in regional and rural communities. The third year will be entirely spent in a GP clinic.
The medical school will take a “digital-first” approach, using digital anatomy labs, VR-enabled case study rooms, clinical skills practice areas and hospital-standard simulation wards.
The New Zealand Graduate School of Medicine will welcome students from 2028.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
