The Vice-Chancellors

The eight universities, represented by their Vice-Chancellors, make up the membership of Universities New Zealand – Te Pōkai Tara. The Vice-Chancellors meet on a formal basis six times a year with the position of Chair rotating every two years.

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Professor Neil Quigley (Chair 2026)

BA, MA (Hons) (Canterbury), PhD (Toronto)

University of Waikato

Private Bag 3105, Hamilton, Waikato Mail Centre 3240

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Professor Grant Edwards (Deputy Chair 2026)

BAgrSci (Hons) (Lincoln), DPhil (Oxford)

Lincoln University

PO Box 85084, Lincoln, 7647

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Professor Cheryl de la Rey

BA, BA Hons (cum laude), MA cum laude (Natal), PhD (Cape Town)

University of Canterbury

Private Bag 4800, Christchurch 8140

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Professor Pierre Venter

BSc, BSc Hons, PhD, University of the Free State, South Africa

Massey University

Private Bag 11222, Palmerston North, Manawatu Mail Centre 4442

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Professor Damon Salesa

BA, MA (Hons) (Auckland), DPhil (Oxford)

Auckland University of Technology

Private Bag 92006, Auckland 1142

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Professor Dawn Freshwater

FRCN, PhD (Nottingham)

University of Auckland

Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142

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Professor Nic Smith

BE (Hons) (Auckland), MA (Oxford), PhD (Auckland)

Victoria University of Wellington

PO Box 600, Wellington 6140

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Hon Grant Robertson

BA (Hons) Otago

University of Otago

PO Box 56, Dunedin 9054