Univeristy Details
North Tec, Newzealand.
NorthTec (Tai Tokerau Wānanga) is a tertiary education provider in northern New Zealand, with its main campus in Raumanga, Whangarei. NorthTec provides programmes ranging from foundation, certificate, diploma and degree levels. The degrees are nationally monitored and so can lead to postgraduate study at universities and other organisations. NorthTec works closely with local and national industries.
NorthTec was founded as Northland Community College. This opened with its own campus in Raumanga Valley, Whangarei, on 1 April 1978. As such, its mission was largely to offer trade and community education. The first Chief Executive Officer was Noel Harrison.
The college grew rapidly and became instrumental in supplying Refining NZ at nearby Marsden Point, with skilled workers. By 1981, it offered more than 50 courses. In 1983, the college commenced the phased take-over of nurse training from Northland Base Hospital.
In 1989, the Whangarei District Council set up the Northland University Foundation, with a view to founding a university in Northland. To date, this aspiration has been partially fulfilled. Six university-standard bachelor's degrees are offered. Many of the degree, diploma and certificate courses can count towards degrees at other institutions.
By the mid 1980s, competing private bodies were offering trade and community courses in Northland. This was one factor which led the college to change its product offering to include higher and sometimes more academic tuition. As part of this process, it became a polytechnic in 1988 and took the name Northland Polytechnic for the next 17 years. Later in 1988, it was offering degrees and diplomas of a competitive standard.
In 1990, negotiations were concluded with the University of Waikato, which enabled courses taught at Northland Polytechnic, as it was then known, to count towards degrees at the University. By 2006, similar arrangements had been concluded with other universities, most notably, Massey University and Auckland University of Technology.
The university has staff with high academic qualifications, including several with masters’ and doctors’ degrees. NorthTec is governed by a Council, which supports the Chief Executive. The current Council Chair is Vern Dark.
