More than 2000 students cap off a record year

More than 2000 University of Auckland students cap off a record year

A record number of students is graduating in the University of Auckland’s Spring graduation this year, causing a reshuffle in terms of seating arrangements for next week’s four ceremonies.

29 September, 2015

A record number of students is graduating in the University of Auckland’s Spring graduation this year, causing a reshuffle in terms of seating arrangements for next week’s four ceremonies.

Nearly 2260 students will graduate with a total of 2303 qualifications in person on Tuesday September 29, while a further 1029 graduands will have their 1058 qualifications conferred in absentia.

It is the University of Auckland’s third graduation event for the year, making a total of 15 graduation ceremonies held to recognise the academic achievements of close to 10,000 graduates in 2015.

The oldest of next week’s graduands is 78 and the youngest is aged 20. Also included in the ranks are 388 Māori and Pasifika students, many of whom have first accessed the University through programmes designed to support their successful transition from secondary school.

There are 142 doctoral students, with about a third of them graduating from the Faculty of Science. Of the 99 people gaining more than one qualification on the day, 96 are gaining two, two are gaining three, and one person is gaining four.

University of Auckland Vice-Chancellor, Professor Stuart McCutcheon says graduation day is always a very special occasion, both for the graduands and their supporters and for the University itself.

“We feel proud when we see these well-educated people take another step into the world, knowing that we have played a part in their success and they in turn will strive to better themselves and their wider communities,” he said.

The traditional graduation procession departs from a marquee outside Old Government House at 9.30am and proceeds through the city in ceremonial order down Bowen Avenue, Victoria Street East, and up Queen Street to the Aotea Centre where the graduation ceremonies will take place from 10.30am.

Mora than 6000 guests are expected at the ticketed ceremonies and all four will be webcast live, enabling well-wishers to watch from around the world.

Speakers at the ceremonies are Margaret Wilsher, the Chief Medical Officer at Auckland District Health Board; Malcolm Rands, the founder and CEO of Ecostore, Sarah Hillary, Principal Conservator at Auckland Art Gallery, and Guy Ryan, winner of this year’s University of Auckland Young New Zealander of the Year award.

ENDS

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