Graduation
Information for graduands
Congratulations on completing your qualification and preparing for your graduation! It's an honour to hold these special ceremonies for our graduands. Here you'll find everything you need to know, including our karakia and a mihi maiōhā.
Karakia and Mihi Maiōhā
Since March 2007, as an acknowledgement of this important relationship, Otago Polytechnic Graduation Ceremonies commence with karakia and a mihi maiōhā.
The purpose of the mihi maiōhā is to greet, in Māori, all visitors and all graduands to this place, while also acknowledging Kai Tahu’s place in the Otago Polytechnic Graduation Ceremony. A mihi maiōhā is not surrounded by the formality of powhiri and differs from mihi whakatau in that this ceremonial begins and ends with the woman’s or women’s voice through karaka (or karanga in Northern dialect).
The mihi maiōhīa will contain an element of the recitation of the landscape and our tūpuna (ancestral names within it). It will briefly welcome all those attending the graduation to the place of those ancestors and will acknowledge that it is an honour for Kai Tahu to have been invited to participate in the graduation ceremony.
Following the maiōhā there will be a waiata kī naki (song of support for the maiōhā), E tu Kahikatea sung by staff and it will end with the karaka once more to signal its closure.
Frequently asked questions
Certificates and transcripts for graduates are printed and distributed upon completion of the qualification.
This is to allow graduates to have their awards on hand to use for any applications for further study, jobs, or promotions which they may be relevant to.
Most graduates will receive their certificate via courier sent to their home address, so please make sure your home address in your Student Hub is up to date.
You will receive an email with a courier tracking number when your award has been sent.
If you are unable to access the Student Hub, but need to update your home address, email us at graduation@op.ac.nz with your current address and we will update this on your behalf.
Certificates are not presented on stage at graduation ceremonies.
Yes, you should register even you haven't got your results yet. All graduation registrations are subject to your final results and the successful completion of your programme.
If you are unsure if you are eligible to graduate please contact your Programme Leader or School/College Administrator before you register.
Yes - contact certificates@op.ac.nz to request a replacement. Charges may apply depending on the nature of the replacement requested.
Your personal registration link remains active until registrations close.
If you want to change your attendance, gown size, number of guests etc. you can use the link to revisit the form and update your information.
If you need to change your information after registrations close, you'll need to contact us at graduation@op.ac.nz
If you believe you are eligible for one of the upcoming graduations but have not received an invitation email with a registration link, please contact us at graduation@op.ac.nz so we can investigate this for you.
There is no prescribed dress code, but your graduation ceremony is a formal celebration of your achievement, and we encourage you to dress appropriately.
The gown room is located in B Block, accessible from St David Street.
Certificates are assigned a tracking number when we pack and address the courier parcel. The tracking goes live when the parcel has been received by NZPost and scanned into their system.
If the tracking link in your email returns a 'No information available' notification, please be patient and try again later.
Contact us
If you’re not sure what to study and would like some guidance, we’re here to help. Feel free to chat to us directly about any questions you may have.
