Full house for double graduation ceremonies

Almost 700 Otago Polytechnic graduates crossed the stage at the Dunedin Town Hall last Friday, the largest number of in-person graduates in four years.

The celebrations were split across two ceremonies to help accommodate the large numbers (695 graduates on the day). Another 244 students graduated in absentia.

This was Otago Polytechnic’s sole graduation event for 2026, after a decision to retire our smaller September ceremony and focus efforts on a single graduation day in mid-March every year.

Otago Polytechnic was delighted to host two local guest speakers to address graduates and their families on their day of celebration.

Mike Collins, Chief Executive of Business South, addressed guests during the first ceremony on Friday afternoon. Mike was also recently appointed to Otago Polytechnic’s new governing Council.

And 2025 Fashion Design graduate Ciaran Naylor spoke to guests during the second ceremony, giving an insight into his study journey and experiences as an emerging New Zealand fashion designer (including scooping top prize at the 2025 iD International Emerging Designer Awards).

Academic awards were presented by John Gallaher, Chair of the Otago Polytechnic Council, along with Andrew McSweeney, Chief Executive of Otago Polytechnic.

“All of our kaimahi enjoy graduation as a great opportunity to celebrate the hard work of overcoming challenges and achieving success,” says Andrew.

“Seeing how much achieving a qualification means to our learners and their whānau is very inspiring and uplifting.”

“We help people transform their lives and achieve whatever success means to them and that’s a position of real privilege.”

“And alongside the formal graduation ceremonies we have our pre-graduation events, allowing Pasifika, Māori, and individual schools to gather together and tell personal and emotional stories of their study journeys,” he says.

A large number of graduates took up the opportunity to march through central Dunedin on Friday morning with whanau and friends as part of a celebratory street parade.

The first ceremony at the Dunedin Town Hall featured graduates from the College of Community Development and Personal Wellbeing, the College of Health, and the Central Otago Campus.

The second ceremony featured graduates from the College of Engineering, Construction and Living Sciences, the College of Creative Practice and Enterprise, Capable NZ, and the Auckland International Campus.

Several schools also held their own pre-grad events last week, to celebrate with their students in a smaller and less formal environment.

(Pre-grad events included Animal Health, Architecture, Business, Capable NZ, Engineering and Construction, Food Design Institute, Information Technology, Institute of Sport, Exercise and Health, Māori, Midwifery, Nursing, Occupational Therapy, and Pasifika).

Video coverage of the two graduation ceremonies was livestreamed on the day for people who couldn't attend in person. This will be available to view via Otago Polytechnic’s YouTube channel later this week.

Otago Polytechnic was also proud to have five Doctors of Professional Practice graduating as part of the ceremonies:

• Cynthina Mullens - “Advancing Global Health Education in Nursing: An Insider's Journey of Professional Learning and Leadership Development”
• Geoff Duncan - Thesis: Integrating modalities in the support professions
• Jeremy Taylor - “An investigation of teaching pedagogy at two Chinese Transnational Education Institutions: Preparing learners for local and global educational pathways”
• Lisa Phillips - “Joe’s Horses”
• Steve Henry - “Becoming a transformational learner in vocational education”