Otago Polytechnic

The Otago Polytechnic ~ Te Kura Matatini ki Otago began in 1870 as the Dunedin School of Art, the first art school and first polytechnic institution in Aotearoa. In 1889 the Dunedin Technical School opened in the same Moray Place Building, with studies in English, Latin, Literature, Chemistry, mathematics, shorthand and woodwork evening classes. In 1914 the technical school moved to Stuart Street and took the name King Edward Technical College.

In 1966 the institution renamed as the Otago Polytechnic and began offering courses exclusively to post-secondary school students. Later, in 1974, what remained of the secondary school courses in the King Edward Technical School becameLogan Park High School, and move to the current site of that school in Butts Road, North Dunedin.

Otago Polytechnic grew through the 1980s, finalising the transition to the Forth Street campus in 1989. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed with four local Kai Tahu rununga in 2004 resulting in the formation of a Kaitohutohu and two rununga representative positions within the Polytechnic, and the gifting of the name Te Kura Matatini ki Otago.

In 2020 Otago Polytechnic joined Te Pūkenga, the nationwide network of technical educators across Aotearoa.

The institution offers several Art Residency and Artists Adjunct programmes in association with the Dunedin Public Art Gallery, the Fred Staub Open Art Fund and Kai Tahu. They also host a Public Seminar School of Art series.

See also:

• The Otago Polytechnic Te Kura Matatini ki Otago | Art Residency and Artists Adjunct | Public Seminar School of Art.
• Te Pūkenga | Our network