Victoria University of Wellington kicks off graduation week

Victoria University students pictured during their 2017 graduation parade. Photo / Mark Mitchell

After the coronavirus disruptions of 2020 and the wild weather of the past week, the first of Victoria University's graduation parades began on Tuesday.

In the biggest graduation in the university's history, more than 2800 students from Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington will graduate this week.

They would also be joined by an extra 1644 students whose ceremonies had been postponed from earlier in the year due to Covid-19.

University chancellor Neil Paviour-Smith said the celebrations were all the more special because of the disruptions of 2020.

"This week's ceremonies are an opportunity for the city to join in celebration of their success, which is even more extraordinary given the unprecedented challenges that 2020 has delivered for our staff and students—and for our graduates.

"The university was determined to ensure that our graduates this year had an opportunity to attend a ceremony."

He said the graduates had all worked hard for their degrees and had enriched the city of Wellington.

"Many have been volunteers, some helped their neighbours by supermarket shopping during alert level 4, and all have been an integral part of our city."

There would be two formal processions of staff and students through the streets of Wellington, held from 12.30pm today and Thursday, December 10, but would be dependent on the weather, with showers forecast throughout the week.

Paviour-Smith encouraged the wider Wellington public to come along to celebrate with the graduates.

"The shared acknowledgement of the graduates' success is a highlight for students and their families," he said.

"We encourage the public to join university staff, and the students' friends and whānau at the parade, to enjoy this celebration of their efforts."

The parades of staff and graduates run from the Old Government Building along Lambton Quay to Te Ngākau Civic Square.

As well as the seven ceremonies held at the Michael Fowler Centre, there would also be two ceremonies at Te Herenga Waka Marae 75 students on Friday. All ceremonies would be live-streamed on the university website.