NorthTec

NorthTec (Tai Tokerau Wānanga) is a tertiary education provider in northern New Zealand, with its main campus in Raumanga, Whangarei. NorthTec provides programmes ranging from foundation, certificate, diploma and degree levels. The degrees are nationally monitored and so can lead to postgraduate study at universities and other organisations. NorthTec works closely with local and national industries. NorthTec was founded as Northland Community College. This opened with its own campus in Raumanga Valley, Whangarei, on 1 April 1978. As such, its mission was largely to offer trade and community education. The first chief executive officer was Noel Harrison. The college grew rapidly and became instrumental in supplying Refining NZ at nearby Marsden Point, with skilled workers. By 1981, it offered more than 50 courses. In 1983, the college commenced the phased take-over of nurse training from Northland Base Hospital. By the mid-1980s, competing private bodies were offering trade and community courses in Northland. This was one factor that led the college to change its product offering to include higher and sometimes more academic tuition. As part of this process, it became a polytechnic in 1988 and took the name Northland Polytechnic for the next 17 years. Later in 1988, it was offering degrees and diplomas of a competitive standard. Along with a wide range of Certificates and Diplomas, NorthTec currently offers seven bachelor's degrees. Five of these are run solely by NorthTec. These include the Bachelor of Applied Management, Bachelor of Applied Information Systems, Bachelor of Nursing, Bachelor of Applied Social Work, and Maunga Kura Toi - Bachelor of Māori Art. One, the Bachelor of Sport and Recreation, is run by the Auckland University of Technology and able to be completed through NorthTec. The last, the bachelor o Applied Science (Biodiversity Management), is a Unitec Institute of Technology degree able to be completed through NorthTec. The university has staff with high academic qualifications, including several with masters’ and doctors’ degrees.