Ara Institute of Canterbury explained

Ara Institute of Canterbury
Established:	2016
Type:	Public
Students:	5,952 EFTS (2012)^[1]
City:	Christchurch
Country:	New Zealand
Coor:	-43.5383°N 172.6432°W
Campus:	Urban
Former Names:	Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology, Christchurch Technical College, Aoraki Polytechnic

Ara Institute of Canterbury, often simply referred to as Ara, is an institute of technology in Canterbury, New Zealand. It was formed in 2016 from the merger of Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology (CPIT) and Aoraki Polytechnic.

Ara specialises in applied tertiary training. Subject choices include business, engineering, architecture, nursing, creative arts, hospitality, computing, science, languages, outdoor education, and broadcasting. Programmes range from Level 1 to Level 9. The institute works closely with industry to ensure students have relevant skills for employment, and have a wide range of work placement opportunities.

Each year around 14,000 students enrol at Ara, including many international students. Ara is internationally recognised and has one of the best English language training centres in New Zealand. Over 50 countries are represented among staff and students at Ara.

On 1 April 2020, Ara was subsumed into Te Pūkenga (the New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology) alongside the 15 other institutes of technology and polytechnics (ITPs) in the country.^[2]

Campus

Ara has six campuses in Canterbury and North Otago (three in Christchurch and one each in Ashburton, Timaru and Oamaru), making it the largest tertiary institute in the South Island. In 2016, Ara began offering online learning options to learners throughout New Zealand through TANZ eCampus.^[3]

Buildings on the City campus, Madras Street, Christchurch

• Kahukura – This block built for architecture and engineering studies was completed in June 2017 and is named after the Māori for a chief's cloak.^{[4] [5]}
• Te Kei – This two-storey building housing executive and administrative staff was completed in 2018 and is named after the Māori for the bow of the canoe.^{[6] [7]}
• Te Puna Wānaka – This is the centre for Māori, Pacific and indigenous studies which was built in 1996. A year long refurbishment to address damage caused by the 2011 Christchurch earthquake was completed for its reopening on 7 July 2021.^[8]

Faculty and alumni

• Miranda Easten – country music singer-songwriter
• Cathy Andrew - Head of Nursing at Ara

Notes and References

1. Provider Summary: Enrolments, EFTS http://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/statistics/tertiary_education/summary_tables/
2. News: Kenny . Lee . Wanted: 'Sophisticated' leader to head NZ's mega polytech . 2 March 2020 . . 29 October 2019.
3. Web site: New online learning platform for Ara Institute of Canterbury. Stuff. en. 18 September 2019.
4. Web site: 10 August 2017. Ara's $34 million Kahukura building officially opened. 14 July 2021. Stuff. en.
5. Web site: Ara Institute's Kahukura building. live. 14 July 2021. hawkins.co.nz. https://web.archive.org/web/20180819013413/http://hawkins.co.nz:80/projects/ara-institutes-kahukura-building . 19 August 2018 .
6. Web site: Te Kei. live. 14 July 2021. NZ Institute of Architects. https://web.archive.org/web/20190216015838/https://nzia.co.nz/awards/national/award-detail/7538 . 16 February 2019 .
7. Web site: Te Kei Executive Administration. 14 July 2021. Inovo Projects. en-NZ.
8. Web site: 14 July 2021. Christchurch's 'anchor point' for Māori culture reopens after year-long refurbishment. 14 July 2021. Stuff. en.