29 November 2024 Children's University turns five

Excited tamariki from across Waitaha Canterbury donned academic gowns for the 2024 Te Mātāpuna Mātātahi | Children’s University graduation ceremonies. 

Over six evenings at the Christchurch Town Hall, over a thousand children aged seven to 14 were presented with their graduation certificates in front of proud whānau and friends, marking the programme’s fifth year of success.

The Children’s University programme, a partnership between Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury (UC) and Te Whare Wānaka o Aoraki | Lincoln University, has seen year on year growth since its launch in 2019. This year, 1,152 graduates from 48 schools and two rūnanga completed a staggering 67,714 hours of extracurricular learning. Their accomplishments reflect the programme’s core mission: fostering a love of lifelong learning and raising aspirations for higher education.

The Children’s University programme has become the largest of its kind in Aotearoa New Zealand, and to date 4,303 tamariki have graduated. Demand is so high there are over 45 schools on the waiting list.

Through their Passport to Learning, tamariki collect hours by visiting libraries, museums, and wildlife parks, participating in campus experience days, and completing online activities.

“Children’s University is child-led, which means they get to decide their learning journey,” says Programme Manager Jack Swannell.

“The programme empowers tamariki to engage in a range of exciting and innovative learning experiences that take place outside of the classroom.”

For media enquiries, email media@lincoln.ac.nz