ITI Articles

Students at Waiariki Institute of Technology will now be able to study towards a Bachelor of Fine Arts thanks to a new partnership with Whitecliffe College of Arts and Design. Students who complete Level 6 and 7 Diplomas in art and design at Waiariki will be able to apply to move straight into the final year of the Whitecliffe Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.

Many Waiariki graduates in arts and design go on to study at Whitecliffe to gain their BFA and the two institutions decided to formalise the relationship. Waiariki has been working to align its art and design qualifications with Whitecliffe’s, and from 2009 students will be able to study the final year of Whitecliffe’s BFA on Waiariki’s Rotorua campus.

"The careful analysis each organisation put into matching the student profiles/outcomes between our respective programmes finally made the decision to offer this unique stair-casing option relatively easy.  It was important to us that any stair-casing arrangement would both directly or indirectly advantage our own students and enhance the quality of our BFA.  I am confident that we will achieve these outcomes, which make this partnership so valuable," says Whitecliffe's Chief Executive John Shaw. 

The partnership provides a positive example of collaboration between private and public institutions. It fits well with the importance both the PTE and ITP sectors place on meeting regional as well as national needs, as students will now be able to complete their degree without leaving the Bay of Plenty area.

Dr Shaw says, "I am confident that the Waiariki graduates will not only benefit from the additional learning opportunities in fine arts but the additional year of study will also broaden their horizons because of Whitecliffe’s embedded cross-disciplinary focus which includes fine arts, fashion design, graphic design and photography, film and video, and through industry-linked activities within the BFA degree.  We are also anticipating that the strength of Waiariki’s unique focus in art and design education and training will add value to the shared learning experiences of other students within our BFA programme.  The potential for the students is both dynamic and exciting.

"This alliance with Waiariki harmonises well with Whitecliffe’s key strategy to focus on core business and to develop both domestic and international alliances which underpins and strengthens our position as a leading arts and design educator.  Through such arrangements we are addressing student demands for educational flexibility, accessibility and choice; enhancing the opportunities for students and faculty to reach their potential and recognising the shift in Government funding priorities."