Founded in 1869, the University of Otago is New Zealand’s oldest university and consistently ranks in the top 1% of universities worldwide. It was ranked 214th in the 2025 QS World University Rankings. It achieved the highest score for any nominated academic unit in New Zealand’s 2006 government research quality assessment and has been rated 5-Stars Plus by QS Stars, the maximum achievable rating.
The Otago Law Faculty made history as the first university in Australasia to permit women to take a law degree. Ethel Benjamin became the first woman in the British Empire to appear as counsel in court in 1897. It also houses the Robert Stout Law Library in the Richardson Building. Notable alumni include Jeremy Waldron and Mindy Chen-Wishart.
The university maintains strong research credentials, with the 2006 Ministry of Research, Science and Technology finding it to be New Zealand’s most research-intensive university, with 40% of staff time devoted to research and development.