The uni has signalled its intention to expand into the resort — vice-chancellor Grant Robertson plans to create a "strong and permanent presence" here, with a focus on technology.
They’ve had discussions with mana whenua, Queenstown’s council and Technology Queenstown (TQ), with a view to doing it in partnership — in terms of both curriculum and infrastructure.
Robertson says some scoping’s complete, and he’s hoping "new and innovative programmes" can be launched from here within the next five years.
Hurdles to overcome include actually establishing a campus, and factoring in infrastructure issues and housing shortages at present.
"The university is aware of some of the current challenges facing Queenstown and is mindful of this in its planning," he says.
"We have experts working in areas like energy and transport, where we hope we will be able to assist to find solutions."
The cost of the project’s still to be confirmed — Lewers says, so far, there haven’t been any discussions about whether council may be asked to make a financial contribution.
"I think the University of Otago’s still looking at the financial side of things ... the first year, they’re going to concentrate on establishment, curriculum development and the nuts and bolts ... and then they’ll slowly progress.
"It’s not going to happen overnight, but nothing like this usually does — it’ll be one of those 30- to 40-year overnight successes."
Lewers says the plans have been "bubbling away" for a long time, and he’s been in close contact with TQ’s Roger Sharp and the university throughout.
It’s also a tangible sign of the Queenstown Lakes’ long-held desire to diversify the economy, something brought into sharp focus during Covid, though the first plan was pulled together about four years prior to that.
It’s also the first step in getting a larger tertiary education sector within the district, he says.
"I was talking to Grant Robertson on Friday, he’s excited about it, and he indicated that the university council’s excited about it, so I can’t wait for it to happen."
Southland MP Joseph Mooney says the announcement "could also be seen as history completing the circle embodied in Otago University’s new symbol/tohu", because so much of the gold that financed the uni’s establishment, in 1869, came from the Queenstown Lakes.
But the gold of this century, Mooney says, is technology.
"This is a project that has the potential to make a big difference not only for the Queenstown Lakes and the whole southern region, but also for New Zealand."
