Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington is New Zealand’s top ranked university for intensity of high-quality research (latest Performance-Based Research Fund evaluation). It is the only university to twice top the country's main measure of research excellence.
Victoria University of Wellington consistently ranks among the world’s best universities. In 2021/2022 it was ranked 236th in the QS World University Rankings, and is one of only 13 universities in the world to hold the maximum 5 Stars Plus in the QS Stars rating of excellence and five stars in each of eight categories —arts and culture, discipline ranking and accreditations, employability, facilities, inclusiveness, internationalization, research, and teaching. Overall, Victoria University of Wellington is in the top 2 percent of the world’s 18,000 universities and in the top 1% of the world’s more than 18,000 universities for 20 subjects in the latest QS World University Rankings. The results from the latest QS World University Rankings by Subject put Wellington’s University in the top 1% of the world’s more than 18,000 universities for 20 subjects.
There are eight faculties, eight of which conduct teaching and research and spread across four campuses—Architecture and Design Innovation, Business and Government, Education, Engineering, Humanities and Social Sciences, Health, Law, and Science .
In the 2021 QS World University Rankings, Victoria University of Wellington’s Architecture and Architecture Environment degree was ranked among the top 150 in the world (the QS World University Subject Rankings are based on academic reputation, employer reputation, and research impact. Victoria University of Wellington is one of only two universities in New Zealand to be ranked in this subject), and Art and Design was ranked among the top 200 in the world. Notably, the Wellington Faculty of Architecture and Design Innovation also offers a large master’s program that covers all aspects of the built environment. Approximately 100 graduates complete the program each year. Students work in world-class design studios and exhibition spaces, using state-of-the-art tools and design software to become experts in architecture, landscape design, construction, or science. The faculty members are experts in their respective fields and are involved in extensive, cutting-edge research.
The faculty has a team of staff with extensive experience and expertise, whose achievements and influence are internationally recognized. Robyn Phipps Professor Robyn Phipps
Robyn Phipps is the dean of Wellington Faculty of Architecture and Design Innovation. Robyn has extensively researched the performance of homes and schools including heating, ventilation, energy efficiency. and weather tightness. Her expertise includes trialing sustainable, low carbon and low-cost solutions for healthy indoor environments. She is Co-Director of the He Kainga Oranga Healthy Housing Research Group that was presented with the 2014 Prime Ministers Science Research Team Prize and the Rutherford medal 2021. She is a Director (Research and Policy) of the New Zealand Green Building Council, a Trustee of the Property Foundation, a founding member of the New Zealand Indoor Air Quality Research Centre. Andre Brown
Professor Andre Brown is the Head of the School of Architecture. From 2007 to 2011, he was Head of the School of Architecture at the University of Liverpool (the oldest accredited architecture school in the UK and a member of the prestigious Russell Group). From July 2014 to July 2017, he was Vice President of the largest Joint Venture University in China, Xi'an Jiaotong Liverpool University (XJTLU) in Suzhou. He was the former President of the European organisation for education and research in Computer Aided Architectural Design (eCAADe) from 2002 to 2006 and retains membership of the eCAADe Council. In 2010, he managed a week-long event at the Liverpool Pavilion during the Shanghai World Expo, directing activities under the "Future City Design" initiative. Daniel Brown
Andre is Professor of Interdisciplinary Design at the Wellington School of Architecture. During Daniel's 14-year professional architecture career, he was Vice-President from 1990-96 of one of the most prominent architectural design firms in New York, Emilio Ambasz and Associates (EAA). The architectural projects designed during Daniel's seven-year tenure at EAA have been published in 12 books (including eight monographs) and over 200 international journal articles. They have won seven international awards. Prior to EAA, Daniel worked for architects Richard Meier and Partners in New York, Harry Seidler and Associates in Sydney, and Brown Daltas and Partners in Rome. During Daniel's 25-year academic career, he has won 12 teaching awards including the New Zealand National Award for Sustained Excellence in Tertiary Teaching. Daniel was selected by the London journal "AD: Architectural Design" as one of the top 12 architecture academics internationally, appearing in the special edition "Emerging Talents | Training Architects" (London, Aug 2021). He has been awarded seven fully-funded international research fellowships. Nan O'Sullivan
Nan O'Sullivan is the Head of the School for the School of Design Innovation. Her teaching and research questions, studies, debates and demonstrates through process and practice the roles and responsibilities of both design and designers in society. A specific emphasis of Nan's work is the incorporation of indigenous, place-based knowledge as a critical component within sustainable design practices and a facilitator towards positive social change through design. Nan believes in taking an inclusive approach to the teaching and learning environment, and endeavours to embrace diversity as a mean to introduce students and the discipline to the multiplicities and intricacies of the design world, its vocabulary and its possibilities. She encourages an environment in which design education and practice are both well-equipped, well-prepared and confident enough to confront and challenge the complexities held within the environments we all both inhabit and design within. Nan's approach has gained recognition across the wider university and she was awarded, for her leadership, both the Victoria Early Career Teaching Excellence Award and the Victoria Equity and Diversity Excellence Award. in 2016 and 2017 respectively.
Jeongbin is the Program Director for Industrial Design. Jeongbin's research interests span design for safety, health and sustainability through design-oriented integration of emerging technologies across smart materials, additive manufacturing and digital processes. Jeongbin is an inventor of more than 20 patented products, systems and materials.
Simon Fraser has been a professor at the School of Design since 2000. He served as Acting Dean of the School of Design at Victoria University from 2002 to 2010, and as Head of the School of Design at Victoria University of Wellington from 2006 to 2007. From 2007 to 2013, he was the Associate Dean of the School of Research and Innovation. Since 2015, he has been leading the strategic theme at Wellington University: Stimulating Design-Led High-Value Manufacturing Zones.
Both Architecture and Landscape Design have received national professional accreditation and international recognition. Both fields have a long history and reputation.
The Wellington School of Architecture’s Bachelor of Architectural Studies (BAS) in Architecture, combined with the Master of Architecture (Professional), the MArch[Prof], is recognised by the New Zealand Registered Architects Board (NZRAB) and the New Zealand Institute of Architects (NZIA) as satisfying the requirement for five years of approved education in Architecture. The most recent accreditation visit to the School was 2017. Accreditation is jointly approved in Australia as well as New Zealand, and there is also mutual accreditation of our qualifications in most of the States in the USA. The accreditation of our degrees by NZRAB/NZIA gives us the internationally recognised global standard for the country's architecture qualifications.
The Bachelor of Architectural Studies (BAS) in Landscape Architecture gives entry to the two year Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA). This qualification was accredited by the New Zealand Institute of Landscape Architects (NZILA) in 2018. We are also recognised by the International Federation of Landscape Architecture (IFLA). We celebrated the 20th Anniversary of Landscape Architecture at Wellington in 2020.
Postgraduate students in the Wellington School of Architecture play a vital role in developing high quality research outputs. Our staff supervise students across a wide variety of thesis topics. In many cases research findings are presented at national and international conferences. Many postgraduates have become industry leaders in their chosen field. The Wellington School of Architecture is involved in local and international cutting-edge design and research.
Research clusters
● Creative and critical This research cluster looks into how spaces are created, celebrated, examined, remembered, and lived in.
● People, wellbeing, and sustainability Design that aims to increase the wellbeing of people, society, and the ecosystems we dwell in as the world around us changes.
● Performance and technologies Research that shifts spatial design technologies to new innovative paradigms and performance levels.
School of Design Innovation
Researchers in industrial design investigate experiences and products that affect human and environmental wellbeing.
。 Industrial design responds to human experience, behaviour, needs, and desires by creatively engaging with mass and batch production processes and materials. This field is being driven increasingly by digital technologies. Researchers in this area investigate experiences and products that affect human and environmental wellbeing. We create original, useful, and meaningful products, such as furniture made from recycled plastics and medical prosthetics tailored to fit individual people.
The Industrial Design Research Group works collaboratively with a variety of interdisciplinary academics and professionals with strong connections to industry partners and research organisations. Current research interests include innovative applications of additive manufacturing (AM), such as Computer Generated Objects (CGO), 4D printing for synthetic biology and a circular economy, and emerging digital platforms of making.
Professor Andre Brown engaged in discussions at WIZZU.
Professors from Victoria University of Wellington were warmly welcomed by Professor Chen Sikun and other people.