Faculty history

In 1906 the University of Auckland established the School of Mining, steadily transforming into the School of Engineering.

In 1948, the School of Engineering was relocated from Princes Street to Ardmore for more space and acted as a fully residential school until the late 1960s when the school was shifted once more to its current premises at 20 Symonds Street.

Today, the Faculty of Engineering and Design has grown to over 5,000 students – our undergraduate first-year intake includes over 800 students every year and continues to increase. We now have over 500 postgraduate students in both research and taught programmes, many based at Newmarket Campus.

Since the development and opening of the Newmarket Campus research activities-based there include Electrical and Computer Systems, the Centre for Advanced Composite Materials, the NZ Product Accelerator, Civil Engineering and much more. These leading edge research facilities are paving the way for innovation and research excellence across many of our disciplines.

The faculty history was marked with the opening of Building 405. Located on the same site as Building 403/404 which was demolished in 2017. Officially opened in late 2019, the state-of-the-art building provides students with tailor-made spaces to support learning, accommodate larger student cohorts, and encourage multi-disciplinary collaboration. 

Future-focused, the next chapter of the faculty sees the School of Architecture, Urban Design and Planning join us, becoming the newly appointed Faculty of Engineering and Design. 

The Auckland University College School of Architecture was founded in 1917 and recognised by the University of New Zealand in 1919. In 1924, it attracted students nationwide, and international recognition followed in 1931 from the Royal Institute of British Architects, ensuring global acceptance of its qualifications. In 1955, the Department of Town and Country Planning was established within the Faculty of Architecture, by 1982, it represented three-quarters of New Zealand’s planners.

In 2006, the School of Architecture merged with the Planning Department to form the School of Architecture and Planning with the National Institute of Creative Arts and Industries (NICAI), later renamed the Faculty of Creative Arts and Industries in 2016.

In 2025, it continues to develop, becoming the Faculty of Engineering and Design, with international recognition, supported by the academic and professional staff and students.

Our faculty’s vision for the future is based on learning and research excellence, producing graduates who are well-equipped to play leading roles in society and make a significant impact on the world around them. The student experience here will shape not only their success, but also that of others. 

The Faculty of Engineering and Design's Strategic Plan sets out the vision for our faculty. This is for us to be recognised unequivocally as one of the world's leading universities for the quality of both its teaching and research. To achieve this, we’ve set three major strategic goals, which will be carried out via a number of targeted objectives.

Our faculty's strategic goals

• Attract an increasing number of highly qualified undergraduate students to study in the faculty and provide degree programmes that prepare graduates for a leadership role in their chosen profession.
• Increase the number of postgraduate students studying in the faculty and provide research training (leading to ME and PhD degrees) that prepares graduates for careers in research or practice
• Increase research funding to the faculty to facilitate an increase in internationally competitive research in and across a wide range of disciplines, that results in publications in leading international journals and international patents

Our alumni include former University of Oxford Vice-Chancellor, Dr John Hood; the most successful yachtsman in America's Cup history, Russell Coutts; Oscar winner Mark Sagar; Chris Liddell, previously Chief Financial Officer of both Microsoft and General Motors, and many more.