Eastern Institute of Technology given $10m to finish rebuild of main campus

EIT's main campus building project in Napier has received a funding boost.

Eastern Institute of Technology has been given $10 million from the Government to complete the rebuild of its main campus in Napier.

The funding was approved by Cabinet on Monday.

EIT is Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti-Gisborne’s leading tertiary provider.

Its main campus, in Taradale, was severely flooded during Cyclone Gabrielle in February 2023.

A huge rebuild was undertaken, and the campus is again bustling with students.

However, EIT said in a release that it had relied on “limited insurance proceeds” to carry out the rebuild.

Eastern Institute of Technology has been given a boost. Photo / NZME

“Insurance funding has not been sufficient to fully meet long-term rebuild needs,” the release stated.

EIT’s new chief executive, Lucy Laitinen, did not say exactly where the $10 million would go when asked by Hawke’s Bay Today, but confirmed it would be used on projects “we’ve had to mothball due to lack of funds”.

“This funding will help fill critical gaps in our rebuild and ensure our Taradale campus can continue to serve Hawke’s Bay for generations to come.”

Vocational Education Minister Penny Simmonds said “up to $10 million” had been approved by the Government to support the rebuild and improvement of EIT’s Hawke’s Bay campus.

“This funding is intended to help address critical gaps not covered by insurance and support the next stage of the rebuild, rather than fully fund the entire rebuild.”

EIT council chair David Pearson said the funding was “a genuine game changer”.

Flood waters ravaged EIT's Taradale campus in 2023. Photo / Warren Buckland

“We have rebuilt as much as we could with the resources available, but there have been clear gaps that insurance simply will not be able to cover.

“This investment gives us certainty as we complete the next stage of our rebuild and plan for the future.

“I am delighted and deeply appreciative of the Government’s support.”

About 90% of ground-floor buildings were flooded and contaminated with silt at the main campus during the cyclone, damaging more than 500 teaching and support spaces.

Many buildings were unusable for months after the floods.

EIT returned to independence this year with its own local leadership, after three years being part of the failed nationwide polytech Te Pūkenga.