We were initially linked to Canterbury College and welcomed our first intake of students way back in 1880. In 1896, when agriculture had become well established as the mainstay of New Zealand’s exports, we separated from Canterbury College and became Canterbury Agricultural College, with our own governing body and the ability to award degrees through the University of New Zealand. In 1961, we were officially renamed Lincoln College, becoming a constituent college of the University of Canterbury. In 1990, we formally separated from the University of Canterbury and became the self-governing national university that we are today. For more information, visit our Living Heritage - Tikaka Tōku Iho website, which contains an online history of the people, events, and community that have been associated with us since our inception.
This includes offering diverse learning options that fit students' ambitions so they can grow their own way, and partnering with industry to help address some of the world's most enduring issues. We’ve been teaching agriculture for 140 years. But as New Zealand’s economy has grown ever more diverse, we have kept pace. This means we can offer a perfect balance of credibility, experience and future-focus with our range of specialised areas, which include agriculture, horticulture, winemaking and grape-growing, business, property and valuation, environmental management, tourism, sport and recreation and landscape architecture.
At UniServices, we bring ideas to life. We partner with the best minds in academia and business to apply intelligent thinking to ideas that have the potential to change the world. For nearly 30 years, UniServices has worked alongside researchers and academic staff at the Lincoln University to transfer world-class knowledge and technology into existing companies and start-ups.
However, land-based activity relates strongly to the way we treat the planet, so our focus is on sustainable practices to ensure that productivity does not come at the expense of the environment. Relative to size, we’ve got a higher number of academics producing world-class research than any other university in the country. So we’re extending our reach with a planned 27,000 sq m Joint Facility with AgResearch, which will support collaboration between around 700 researchers. In spite of all this, we’re still New Zealand’s smallest university and that provides a big advantage. Students enjoy a more personal learning environment and extra face-time with lecturers. Plus our village atmosphere fosters a real sense of community and helpfulness. Our staff pride ourselves on our open door policy, which provides students with the support they need to get the most out of their studies. We’re also always interested in hearing from businesses and organisations who want to utilise our considerable research expertise, equipment and intellectual property for the benefit of society. Welcome to Lincoln University. A place to grow.
Lincoln University Hospitality Ltd oversees our commercial activities, which include student accommodation, catering, early childhood services, and the Recreation Centre. Lincoln Agritech Limited, a 100% university subsidiary, is a leading-edge research and development company applying innovative engineering and science technologies to support agriculture, industry and the environment. The Research Management Office oversees our research outputs and facilitates excellence and relevance in research for the sustainable management of national resources to enhance social, environmental and economic viability. Te Waihora campus Our campus, called Te Waihora, is based in Lincoln (in the Selwyn district of Canterbury), a small town 20km outside of the city of Christchurch. Situated on 58 hectares of green space, the campus offers modern teaching facilities, a comprehensive library, IT labs, free car parking, a dining hall, a cafe and bar, a printery, a travel agency, banking services and sporting facilities.