Ara Institute of Canterbury

About Ara Institute of Canterbury

Ara Institute of Canterbury is the largest public institute of technology and tertiary education polytechnic in the South Island of New Zealand, operating from four contemporary campuses across Christchurch and South Canterbury. Tracing its origins back to 1906 with the establishment of Christchurch Technical College and flourishing for decades as the Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology (CPIT) before uniting with Aoraki Polytechnic in 2016, Ara represents over a century of vocational excellence. Formally accredited as a Category 1 Tertiary Education Organisation by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA)—the highest attainable government quality rating—Ara functions as an autonomous regional business division of Te Pūkenga. With approximately 14,000 learners, including over 1,800 international scholars from 50 nations, Ara delivers progressive applied bachelor's degrees, graduate diplomas, and postgraduate qualifications across information technology, engineering technology, nursing, medical imaging, architectural studies, business, and broadcasting. Ara is also home to the prestigious New Zealand Broadcasting School (NZBS), New Zealand's premier academy for journalism, screen production, and digital radio. Its flagship Madras Street City Campus and specialized Manawa Health Campus—located directly within the Te Papa Hauora Health Precinct adjacent to Christchurch Hospital—provide world-class learning environments directly mapped to New Zealand's long-term skill shortages, empowering international graduates with qualifications recognized across the Commonwealth and eligibility for New Zealand Post-Study Work Visas (PSWV).