All news

Man and woman hongi with Auckland City in background.

Auckland wins 7 Experiences Summit

09 May, 2023
Hundreds of academics and professionals are expected to converge on Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland for the fourth annual 7 Experiences Summit.
Waiter bring vegetables for hot pot and serving group of friends in restaurant.

A new tourism and hospitality accord

21 Mar, 2023
There is hope that working conditions in tourism and hospitality are set to improve, thanks in part to research by AUT.
Four members of the team standing in chef whites and hats smiling and looking at the camera.

NZ chefs shine in Lyon

19 Jan, 2023
New Zealand is this month competing in two of the world's top culinary competitions in Lyon, France - the Bocuse d'Or and the International Catering Cup.

New professors and associate professors

17 Nov, 2022
AUT is delighted to announce the promotion of 15 of its academics to the position of Professor and 30 to Associate Professor.
A screenshot from the video showing tourists in a boat and a whale jumping out of the water.

Niue Language Week 2022

17 Oct, 2022
Episode 8 of AUT’s 2022 Pacific Language Week Video series – AUT Focus on Sustainability – was launched this week.

Record ranking for AUT

12 Oct, 2022
AUT has claimed its highest-ever place among New Zealand universities in the latest global rankings.
A screenshot from AUT's Fiji Language Week video showing a cartoon hotelier with some tourists.

Fijian Language Week 2022

03 Oct, 2022
We’re pleased to launch Episode 7 of AUT’s 2022 Pacific Language Week Video series – AUT Focus on Sustainability.

Hospitality work: A map for change

02 Sep, 2022
Almost three years after COVID-19 hit New Zealand, the hospitality sector is slowly rebuilding.

Guiding tourism in the Pacific Islands

25 Aug, 2022
With visitors now returning to the Pacific Islands, AUT is helping destinations make better decisions on building back.
Stock image showing a job interview in a cafe-like setting

Hospo jobseekers urged to use power

09 Aug, 2022
Those looking for work in hospitality and tourism should use the power given to them by a tight job market to vet potential employers carefully.
Plates of delicous-looking food being served.

A taste of AUT for Restaurant Month

05 Aug, 2022
From cocktails infused with hyperlocal plants to the strange pairing of chocolate and cheese, AUT’s Winter Series is a must for the food enthusiast.
A photo of NZ coastline, with flax in the foreground and a wild beach.

Build back better: A catalyst for change

01 Jul, 2022
COVID-19 devastated international tourism in 2020, and the pandemic’s impacts are still being acutely felt in 2022.
Dr David Williamson standing in a commercial kitchens with chefs busy making food behind him.

Voices from hospitality's front line

08 Apr, 2022
New AUT research looks at workplace practices in the hospitality industry and gives recommendations to improve working conditions.
Ziba Eidizada holding a loaf of bread.

A bakery programme with heart

10 Mar, 2022
Nine former refugees have been learning the art of bread making thanks to a new social enterprise, The Bread Collective.
Wearing chef outfits and standing close to each other in a row: chefs Michael Lopesi, Rakesh Pillai, Sid Sahrawat, Laura-Jane Muller and Esther Olatunbosun

Graduates showcase NZ at Expo 2020

20 Jan, 2022
The world's countries have gathered in Dubai to display what they have to offer. In the middle of the excitement are AUT culinary arts graduates.
WF WG sky tower

AUT climbs up the global rankings

02 Sep, 2021
AUT continues to climb up the global university rankings joining the University of Otago in second place in NZ and the top 250 universities in the world.
Chairs and tables laid out for fine dining in a The Clink restaurant.

Public fine dining in prisons is popular

29 Jul, 2021
Opening prison restaurants in New Zealand has the potential to cut reoffending – while being a great experience for diners.
Tony Astle Dinner

A recipe for a successful evening

13 Jul, 2021
16 second-year hospitality students and staff were given the opportunity to prepare and serve a meal for renowned restaurateur, Tony Astle.
Associate Professor Tracy Berno with the book Hiakai.

Hiakai wins Ockham NZ Book Award

13 May, 2021
An "astounding" book on modern Māori cuisine has won best illustrated non-fiction at the 2021 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards.
Trans-Tasman travel bubble

Should tourism get its hopes up?

14 Apr, 2021
A single market cannot compensate for the lack of inbound travel from the rest of the world. But for tourism operators, something is better than nothing.
View from a plane

A fairer strategy than the green tax

23 Mar, 2021
A green tax on long-haul flights favours rich tourists and, NZ needs a fairer strategy writes Professor Michael Lueck.
Campervan in forest

Freedom camping needs new regulations

24 Feb, 2021
Massive growth in freedom camping has inevitably led to resentment in local communities, writes Professor Michael Lüeck and Sabrina Seeler.
Professor Peter Kim

Hospitality professor heads top journal

19 Feb, 2021
One of the world’s top journals in the field of hospitality and tourism has a new executive editor – AUT's Professor Peter Kim.
New AUT Professors

New Professors and Associate Professors

30 Nov, 2020
Nine academics have been appointed to the position of Professor, effective from 1 January 2021. 19 academics have been appointed as Associate Professors.
Ted Bryant and Derek McCormack

Honorary fellowship for culinary hero

10 Nov, 2020
Ted Bryant, a long-time hospitality industry stalwart, has been awarded the title of Reeves Honorary Fellow of AUT.
Tracy Berno holding the book Hiakai and smiling.

A special book on modern Māori cuisine

02 Nov, 2020
When Associate Professor Tracy Berno was asked by Chef Monique Fiso to help write Hiakai she was “absolutely blown away” and jumped at the opportunity.
Professor Simnon in a blue checkered shirt.

A ‘new normal’ for Pacific tourism

08 Jun, 2020
Amidst the global impact of COVID-19, the time is now for the Pacific Islands to re-think and re-shape tourism, writes Professor Simon Milne.
Stock photo of mountains, a river and a tramper.

The survival challenge for NZ tourism

04 May, 2020
Now is the time for tourism operators to win back the hearts of domestic tourists.
A Boeing 737 MAX in the air, seen from the front.

What's behind the B737 MAX groundings?

14 Jan, 2020
Professor Michael Lueck looks at what's behind Boeing’s production halt of the beleaguered B737-MAX.
Photo of the crater at Whakaari/White Island

Why were tourists allowed on Whakaari?

11 Dec, 2019
Research shows the majority of thrill-seekers are looking for risk, but in a controlled way, writes Professor Michael Lueck.
The Tastes of Home cookbook

Cookbook sales fund refugee scholarship

26 Nov, 2019
AUT students from refugee backgrounds can now apply for a scholarship fund created from the sales of the Tastes of Home cookbook.
QS stars 2019

AUT gets 5 QS stars in all categories

13 Nov, 2019
AUT has received the maximum five stars for the first time in every category according to the global education analysts QS in their recent results.
New Professors announced in 2019

New Professors and Associate Professors

07 Nov, 2019
AUT has announced the promotion of 12 leading academics to the position of Professor. A further 15 academics have been appointed as Associate Professors.
THE Rankings Sep 2019

AUT moves up 50 places in world rankings

12 Sep, 2019
AUT is now in the top 1% of world universities and in the top 50 for research citations.
Busy bee (Kiwiana toy)

Our kiwiana is shifting

08 Jul, 2019
The items that represent Kiwi identity are changing - towards wine, oysters, the silver fern and Māori culture, research at AUT suggests.
what does luxury mean?

What does luxury really mean?

07 May, 2019
To date there is no objective or quantifiable definition of luxury or the luxury market due to their nebulous nature.
62% increase in AUT researchers

62% increase in AUT researchers

30 Apr, 2019
Growing expertise to help New Zealand and the world
Professor Michael Luck

Five questions: Professor Michael Lück

25 Mar, 2019
We asked Professor Michael Lück five questions about his research ahead of his Inaugural Professorial Address.
Cookbook contributors and guest speaker

Diversity celebrated at cookbook launch

22 Mar, 2019
The launch of a cookbook with family recipes and stories of AUT staff and students from migrant and refugee backgrounds, took place on Race Relations Day.
They Are Us image - illustration by Ruby Jones

Christchurch tragedy

15 Mar, 2019
The tragic event in Christchurch today devastates us. Our heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their friends and families.
AUT Edge Award winners

Gaining skills for the workplace

14 Dec, 2018
Auckland Council are proud to sponsor the overall achievement prize for the AUT Edge Award, an extra-curricular employability award at AUT.
AUT graduates heading overseas as part of the Internz programme

Meet the new AUT Internz

28 Nov, 2018
21 AUT graduates have been hand-picked by major companies including Lululemon, Enviropod, Paramount Recording Studios and Sundance Institute to be internat
The Tastes of Home cookbook

New Cookbook to fund scholarship

14 Nov, 2018
A new cookbook featuring family recipes and stories of AUT staff and students from migrant and refugee backgrounds launched this week.
AUT's new Professors

New Professors and Associate Professors

01 Nov, 2018
AUT has announced the promotion to Professor of seven senior academics. A further 16 academics have been appointed as Associate Professors.
The Sustainability Taskforce at the Roadmap launch

Minister launches sustainable blueprint

24 Oct, 2018
The Minister for Climate Change, the Hon James Shaw officially launched AUT’s Sustainability Roadmap on Friday 19 October.
WF WG sky tower

THE rankings place AUT in NZ top three

27 Sep, 2018
AUT has significantly improved in global university rankings published today by the Times Higher Education.
AUT students sit in the WG lecture hall

AUT 2019 domestic and international fees

13 Sep, 2018
Tuition fees for new domestic students, and for domestic and international students currently enrolled in a programme will increase in 2019.
AUT lecturer and Cook Islander Lisa Sadaraka

Harassment in Cook Islands hospitality

10 Apr, 2018
Sexual harassment by customers in the Cook Islands hospitality industry is a problem, according to AUT lecturer and Cook Islander Lisa Sadaraka.
IMG-04952

Research kicks off on modern Kiwi identity

23 Mar, 2018

Auckland University of Technology researcher Lindsay Neill is launching an investigation into what New Zealanders, aged 20 to 40, believe identifies them as Kiwis in 2018.

AUT-city-campus-QS

AUT increases presence in QS subject rankings

01 Mar, 2018

New global rankings show AUT now has 13 subjects ranked, with two of them featuring in the top 50 in the world.

Radilaite Cammock

Māori and Pacific Early Career Academic Programme

02 Sep, 2017

A new generation of Māori and Pacific lecturers is taking up residence at Auckland University of Technology (AUT).

The 2018 Early Career Academic Programme offers up to six Māori and Pacific scholars their first, full-time, permanent appointments as research-active lecturers.

09_qs-rankings

AUT Hospitality ranked 45th in the World

10 Mar, 2017

Students studying Hospitality, Tourism, Events and Culinary Arts at Auckland University of Technology (AUT) are completing their degrees in a school that is ranked 45th in the world in the QS World University Rankings by Subject.

Students join Auckland Council to promote cutting food waste

21 Nov, 2016

Auckland Council has been working with AUT culinary students to inspire Aucklanders to love their leftovers and reduce food waste.

Culinary lecturer in winning team at the International Culinary Olympics

07 Nov, 2016

The New Zealand's national chefs’ team, including AUT lecturer John Kelleher, has won silver and bronze at the Culinary Olympics in Germany.

Tourism NZ honour for AUT academic

28 Oct, 2016

Tourism New Zealand has recognised AUT Associate Professor Erica Hinckson for her efforts in attracting a world-class academic conference to New Zealand.

AUT student is Sommelier of the Year – wins trip to France’s Champagne region

28 Sep, 2016

Congratulations to Bachelor of International Hospitality Management student Dion Wai who took the top prize in blind wine tastings, theory and practical assessments at the New Zealand Sommelier of the Year Awards held recently at the New Zealand School of Food and Wine in Auckland.

AUT gets behind Cooking 4 Change

25 Aug, 2016

AUT volunteer students and staff teamed up with well-known Kiwis last night to serve the homeless a gourmet dinner at the Auckland City Mission.

They surprised 80 mission guests by cooking a four-course meal and waiting on their tables. Singers Tiki Taane and Jordan Luck provided the entertainment.

The primordial pleasure of cooking with fire

24 Aug, 2016

Michelin-starred chef and School of Hospitality senior lecturer in culinary arts Alan Brown has produced a new book that takes cooking in a wood-fired oven to the next level.

AUT culinary arts student tops Viet Nam fusion competition

17 Jun, 2016

Culinary arts student Jamin Gibson has taken out top honours in an international culinary competition held in Ho Chi Minh, Viet Nam

Great food and culture at Culinary Arts event

16 Jun, 2016

Latin American cuisine, colour and culture came together at the Bachelor of Arts (Culinary Arts)'s “Sabores Latinos” event.

Queen’s honour for services to art, education and LGBTQI rights

14 Jun, 2016

Being named an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) for services to performing arts, education and LGBTQI rights took a while to sink in for AUT senior lecturer Lexie Matheson.

New Zealand’s first team steps up to take on Bocuse d’Or culinary competition

13 Apr, 2016

Sourcing a rare fish that lives in the Antarctic’s subzero waters is just one of the challenges that New Zealand’s first ever Bocuse d’Or team has taken on in their quest for the ultimate culinary prize.

AUT culinary team lending skills to Fiji fundraiser

17 Mar, 2016

AUT culinary graduates will be working side-by-side with some of New Zealand’s top chefs this weekend to help raise money for Fiji in the wake of Cyclone Winston.

simonmilne

AUT research links tourism to sustainable development in the Pacific

16 Oct, 2015

Research to create sustainable livelihoods for our Pacific neighbours: this is the key goal for AUT Professor of Tourism Simon Milne.

chrie

Locals - the missing link in national tourism strategy warns Professor

08 Jun, 2015

New Zealand’s national tourism strategy needs to focus more on the role of local communities in engaging and interacting with tourists, says AUT University’s tourism and sustainability professor Simon Milne.

Young Blake Expedition

Seafaring professor helps to keep Sir Peter Blake’s legacy alive

15 Apr, 2014

Joining a group of scientists, academics and educators and 12 outstanding young New Zealanders on the recent 13-day Young Blake Expedition to the subantarctic islands was a ‘huge privilege’ says AUT Professor of Marine Tourism Mark Orams.

Manukau Harbour Survey

Manukau Harbour researchers keen to hear from locals

19 Mar, 2014

Tourism researchers exploring the recreation and tourism potential of the Manukau Harbour want to hear from as many locals and visitors as possible about the way they use the harbour.

Prime Minister’s Youth Programme comes to AUT

Prime Minister’s Youth Programme comes to AUT

22 Jan, 2014

20 young women, participants in the 2014 Prime Minister’s Youth Programme, took part in a ‘market to table’ experience hosted at AUT’s Four Seasons restaurant this week.

Research explores the legacy of RWC 2011 volunteering

05 Dec, 2013

Many Rugby World Cup 2011 volunteers delivered on their intentions to do more volunteer work after an outstanding experience with the event, a longitudinal study has found.

Futuristic hotel vision takes students to Singapore

21 Nov, 2013

Imagining a hotel that guests can customise has taken a team of AUT hospitality students into the final round of an international hotel design competition, to be held in Singapore later this month.

‘Kiwi DIY’ (Bachelor of International Hospitality Management students Ashlee Li, Anya Suchkova and Rose Johnstone), is the only Australasian team to make it to the finals of the Accor ‘Take Off’ competition. In Singapore they will compete against teams from Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand and India for the grand prize of an international holiday.

Ice cream galore at AUT

06 Nov, 2013

Making and eating extravagant ice cream creations to mark the end of a university paper sounds unlikely, but first-year students in AUT’s Certificate and Diploma of Pâtisserie did just that recently.

'Excellent textbook' wins Culinary Quill award

05 Nov, 2013

The New Zealand Chef, a textbook co-authored by AUT senior lecturer Lindsay Neill, has been recognised with the chief judge’s special award at the 2013 Culinary Quill Awards.

Gold medals for hospitality

04 Sep, 2013

Once again, AUT University has come back from the National Culinary Fare triumphant, with a stack of medals to display.

Students and graduates from AUT’s School of Hospitality and Tourism programmes, Diploma in Culinary Arts (DCA), Diploma in Patisserie (DipPat) and Bachelor of International Hospitality Management (BIHM), competed in a range of classes at the national event, with plenty of gold, silver and bronze medals being awarded.

Culinarian of the Year honour

26 Aug, 2013

AUT’s Arno Sturny has been named New Zealand’s Culinarian of the Year by the New Zealand Chef’s Association.

The senior lecturer in patisserie had no idea the win was coming when it was announced at the association’s annual conference in Christchurch at the end of July.

2013 Big Sleepout at AUT

10 Jul, 2013

A long-standing partnership between AUT University and Lifewise is set to boost Auckland’s approach to tackling homelessness. With 85 business and community leaders participating in this year’s Lifewise Big Sleepout on AUT’s city campus over 4-5 July, this is shaping up to be the biggest year yet. But as John McCarthy explains, “AUT does far more than simply host the event; they get right behind it, with the Vice Chancellor Derek McCormack once again leading a team of AUT staff taking part.”

An AU-Tea Experience

20 Jun, 2013

Tea was the name of the game, and the taste of it, when an AUT University senior lecturer and student went to Sri Lanka this month.

Senior lecturer in Culinary Arts John Kelleher and Bachelor of International Hospitality Management student Nicole Gomes spent a week in Sri Lanka with Dilmah Tea, after finishing the runners up in the 2012 Dilmah High Tea Challenge New Zealand.

Medal for Excellence for culinary whizz

10 Jun, 2013

For the first time a New Zealander has won the Medal for Excellence in Culinary Arts from City and Guilds London, and that New Zealander is from AUT.

Senior lecturer Alan Brown from the AUT School of Hospitality and Tourism won the medal earlier this year after being nominated by colleagues.

AUT student proud to be a chef

29 Jan, 2013

AUT University student Jonny Bell is Proud to be a Chef, in more ways than one, and in one month's time he will prove it again.

Bell, who is studying a Diploma in Culinary Arts in AUT’s School of Hospitality and Tourism, won the opportunity to cook in Melbourne in February this year, thanks to his delicious dish in the Fonterra Proud to be a Chef competition.

Lights, camera, pastry

07 Jan, 2013

It was lights, camera, pastry at AUT University’s Piko Restaurant late last year as patisserie students showed off their skills in their end-of-year and ice cream showcase.

Xin Jing

Fusion cook takes out top prize

31 Oct, 2012

Three stressful hours and a box of 55 ingredients has seen an AUT University student take out a national cooking competition.

for-web

AU Tea's winning brew

24 Sep, 2012

The copious cups of tea have paid off for the AUT team in the Dilmah High Tea Challenge this week.

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AUT in the Pink

01 Jun, 2012

AUT University went Pink for the first ever AUT Pink Ribbon Breakfast.

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AUT's Four Seasons Restaurant is going Pink

22 May, 2012

AUT University is getting behind the colour pink this month and is hosting a Pink Ribbon Breakfast in Four Seasons Restaurant to support the New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation (NZBCF).

Food Safety

Summer food safety tips from AUT experts

09 Jan, 2012

Summer is upon us and with it comes outdoor eating and plenty of barbecues.

But with warmer weather often comes less than ideal food preparation environments.

Being food safe over summer

mark_orams

Importance of sea and coasts needs to be recognised

30 Dec, 2011

As we move into the summer months, our interaction with the sea and coasts will become an even more central part of our lives so it is worthwhile to reflect on the importance of our seas as part of our nation and culture according to an AUT professor.

treats_on-display

Treats on display at AUT

23 Dec, 2011

Matariki, Easter and St Patrick’s Day were just a few of the well thought-out themes at the annual showcase for first year pâtisserie students.

Lyle-Robertson

Tortelloni takes out top honours

01 Dec, 2011

Scampi tortelloni and hard-work has seen an AUT trainee chef make the top four in the annual Fonterra Foodservices Proud to be a Chef competition.

events_management

Event Management students test skills at Diwali

11 Oct, 2011

Anyone who was out and about in Auckland city over the weekend will have noticed the sights, sounds, tastes and energy of India at the annual Diwali (Festival of Lights) at Aotea Square.

jill-poulston

Research shows people 50 percent more likely to be sexually assaulted on sea

23 Sep, 2011

Research co-authored by AUT University’s head of hospitality Dr Jill Poulston suggests holiday-makers, especially women, should think twice about their safety when boarding a cruise ship.

andy_hsu

AUT serves up gold

22 Jul, 2011

AUT’s Training Team of the Year has taken out gold for the third consecutive year at the recent National Culinary Fare.

robert-oliver

International book award for NZTRI member

11 Mar, 2011

In a first for New Zealand publishing, Me’a Kai: The Food and Flavours of the South Pacific has been named the Best Cookbook in the World for 2010 at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards.

Pâtisserie showcase impresses

15 Dec, 2010

Macaroons, mousse, meringues and more were on show at the highly anticipated showcases for first and second year pâtisserie students.

AUT helps Fonterra find young masterchefs

22 Nov, 2010

An AUT student was recently awarded the coveted prize of one of the best trainee chefs in New Zealand.

AUT’s global Oxfam campaign

28 Oct, 2010

AUT's event production students recently rolled up their sleeves to help out Oxfam New Zealand raise awareness of climate change in the Pacific- free of charge and with global results.

NZ missing out on billions of potential tourist dollars

12 Oct, 2010

It’s about more than just access, it’s about making people with disabilities feel welcome and ensuring they feel valued when they visit New Zealand.

AUT scoops gold

03 Sep, 2010

With three days of competition, the New Zealand Culinary Fare represents the most prestigious hospitality competition in this country and one that is believed to be the largest of its sort in the world.

Foodies love AUT food

27 Aug, 2010

AUT University’s top hospitality students showcased their talents recently for New Zealand’s crème de la crème of restaurateurs, food critics and writers.

Pear Culinaire

20 Aug, 2010

Five AUT culinary arts students rolled up their sleeves and prepared their best summer pear recipes for a panel of judges in the AUT University/USA Pears cook off.

From The Ritz to rags

19 Aug, 2010

The former head chef at The Ritz in London visits NZ and AUT to share his experiences of dealing with addiction in the hospitality industry.

I'm still learning: Ray McVinnie on MasterChef

27 May, 2010

Even for a master chef himself, Ray McVinnie says judging the hit series on TV ONE was still an opportunity for him to learn.

robert-oliver

Pacific Island flair infused in book

17 May, 2010

Pasifika food, music, singing and dancing all played a part in the AUT University-hosted launch of Robert Oliver’s new book.

Tea and cake anyone?

Tea and cake anyone?

01 Nov, 2009

Busy student chefs have been mixing, baking, icing and decorating their way towards showcasing their end of year talents.

First year Diploma and Certificate Patisserie students in AUT’s School of Hospitality and Tourism showcased their baked offerings in a ‘Mad Hatters Tea Party’ display for friends, family and AUT staff earlier this month.

New MasterChef judge and AUT Lecturer, Ray McVinnie

AUT's MasterChef Judge

28 Oct, 2009

The search is on to find New Zealand's first MasterChef and AUT’s own Ray McVinnie will be on our television screens every week helping to find the country’s premier chef.

Professor Mark Orams

Mark Orams joins the New Zealand Tourism Research Institute

15 Jun, 2009

Professor Mark Orams joins AUT as Associate Director of the New Zealand Tourism Research Institute (NZTRI) and will also be a member of staff in the School of Hospitality and Tourism.