Reluctant Relocator
I'm surprised to hear that you have not experienced people caring about what university you have attended. I have yet to experience an English speaking country where that didn't matter. And yes, it is something to consider even in NZ, depending on your area more or less so.Originally Posted by Asteger
Member
Might depend on the English speaking country and I don't know how many you've experienced. You're from the UK, I believe, and I've heard many-a-conversation between people who've first met/been introduced which start with where you're from, oh but your accent sounds like... ah so you went to school there, I see, but also lived there, etc, and I realise people are trying to place each other but usually they probably don't enjoy it much and wish they could avoid it regardless of which 'end' of the scale they're seen as being on. Maybe I get away with things a bit having worked with Brits for years but being Canadian, and Canadians wouldn't make the same deal out of such things I think, while Brits wouldn't know the difference between Canadian universities anyway and so I'm not judged. So maybe yes, in a Brit (well, English) context this matters a bit. In NZ I doubt it'd matter that much, between NZ universities at least, and even if it did a little I'd sort of refuse to be guided by that way of thinking as it's a bit lame.
For what it's worth (well, not much) was talking with an Australian today and asked if she knew Otago, the U, and she'd never heard of it - and that from an educated and worldly type. So there you go, neighbouring country, NZ's oldest U, and Otago who? As said, it doesn't prove anything but I also liked how she wasn't aware of that university nor did she seem to care about maintaining a ranking system of them in her memory.
Reluctant Relocator
For completeness's sake (and because it might show I am referring to anecdotes in the plural here), I am not from the UK and have studied and lived in four countries (UK, US, NZ and Germany). It mattered greatly in both US and UK, it mattered within an NZ context to NZers, and not at all in Germany.
Junior Member
Don't kid yourself, where you went to university does matter. Why else is there a Russell Group in the UK, the G8 in Australia, the U15 in Canada and the Ivy League in the US? NZ might not have a collective noun for them, but everyone knows that the 'proper' universities are Auckland, Waikato, Victoria, Christchurch and Otago. Even within that group there are some universities that are more proper than others: Auckland, Vic and Otago. Christchurch has lost a lot of students and staff following the earthquakes. Waikato is OK, but Hamilton is probably a bit to boring to attract either the best students or staff (think about it, it is a NZ city without sea or mountains).
Within that group of 5 universities, P5, there are of course subject specific differences. Having said all that, when looked at from abroad none of this matters at all. I worked at 'top' department in the 'top' university in NZ and no one from outside NZ has ever heard of it.
Member
Well, good on you.
I guess the overall point has been that it matters and it doesn't. Like with many things, it's something people can fuss over but in the end probably wonder what the fuss was about. As I've sort of said before, I suspect it matters more to some than to others, and so you have to choose who you agree with and who you think is missing the boat, or perhaps who you want to agree with. Again, in my own experience it hasn't mattered - aside from in token ways.
Some quick quotes from a website for fun:
If you have a college degree you can be absolutely sure of one thing... you have a college degree. ~Author Unknown
The quality of a university is measured more by the kind of student it turns out than the kind it takes in. ~Robert J. Kibbee
I am not impressed by the Ivy League establishments. Of course they graduate the best - it's all they'll take, leaving to others the problem of educating the country. They will give you an education the way the banks will give you money - provided you can prove to their satisfaction that you don't need it. ~Peter DeVries
... Getting part of the way back to the original Dunedin vs. Hamiton theme of this thread, but still on the topic of universities, I'm 99% on the Otago side at this point, goodness me. Not sure what training the Waikato admissions people have, but if it involves making poor impressions on potential full international fee-paying students then it has been successful in my case.Disappointed with them
Last edited by Asteger; 31st May 2016 at 05:43 AM.
Junior Member
Oh dear, the lowest form of wit.
Member
Had to be sure you'd understand
Junior Member
I understand alright. Just carefully remove that chip from your left shoulder and all will be sweet as, bro.
Junior Member
Goodness this got a bit personal quickly
The best university for you in NZ is more or less based on the actual major/post-graduate qualification you are looking to achieve, more than the "prestige" of the university itself. Each university in NZ has "strengths" in different subject areas - without any one university being "better" than any other. There are only 8 universities in New Zealand - The University Of Auckland, Auckland University Of Technology, Waikato University, Massey University, Victoria University, The University Of Canterbury, Lincoln University and Otago University. Specific study choice (subjects and preference) - as well as location preferences - should be the only real priorities in terms of choosing a tertiary learning institution (in NZ, at least). There seems to be very little snobbishness in NZ in regards to university choice. The different universities offer some very different (and sometimes specialized) subject options to one another. NZ is not like the UK at all in terms of tertiary institutional snobbery
Ansistent
Junior Member
What was 'absurd' was the sarcastic comment I got back ('well, good on you') as a reply to the information I was giving re universities in New Zealand and elsewhere. I'm not speculating, I work in a senior position in a university in the UK and did so in NZ so do know what I am talking about. If my experience can help someone, that's all good. If not, just ignore it.
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