Council constitution

The University of Otago Council Constitution

The University of Otago Council Constitution, pursuant to section 170 of the Education Amendment Act 1990, was approved by the Minister for Tertiary Education in 2015 and came into force on 1 January 2016.

The University was established by the University of Otago Ordinance of the Provincial Council in 1869, the University of Otago Amendment Act 1961 and the Education and Training Act 2020. Defining characteristics of universities in New Zealand, specified in the Education and Training Act 2020, include that their teaching is primarily informed by research, they are repositories of knowledge and expertise, and they accept a role as critic and conscience of society.

The Education and Training Act 2020 provides statutory recognition of, and protection for, the institutional autonomy of the University and the academic freedom of its staff and students. In accordance with the Act, the Council and the Vice-Chancellor have a duty to act to preserve and enhance university autonomy and academic freedom.