College of Business and Law enters new chapter

College of Business and Law enters new chapter in Canterbury’s 141 year history

May 28, 2014

The University of Canterbury’s College of Business and Law enters a new chapter in the 141 year history of the university as it reopens its Business and Law Building tomorrow (Thursday).

For the first time since the earthquakes, the university’s business and law staff and postgraduate students have returned to a permanent base in the former Law building on campus. Christchurch Mayor Lianne Dalziel will officially reopen the building tomorrow.

The College has 3873 students including 542 postgraduates and 298 international students, 114 staff with 87 academics, including 21 law academics. The College offers more than 300 courses.

In the last year, the Business and Law building has undergone an $8.3 million makeover and has been fully remediated and redesigned to provide a high quality learning and teaching environment.

The refurbished building includes lecture theatre and seminar rooms, Moot room, café, dedicated spaces for executive development programmes, tutorial rooms, a computer lab and video-conferencing facilities.

Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Business and Law) Professor Sonia Mazey says staff have demonstrated incredible resilience since the earthquakes and moving back to their dedicated Business and Law building represents the start of an exciting new era for business and law at UC.

``The 2010 and 2011 earthquakes promoted a major review of what and how we teach students to ensure that our graduates have not only the knowledge but also the practical skills and competencies that employers are seeking.

``One of Christchurch’s most passionate business people Christchurch property investor Antony Gough, who became Doctor of Commerce last month for his significant contribution to the post-quake development of Christchurch’s central city, is right behind us.

``The future of the College includes new courses and programmes, the expansion of community service and work-integrated learning opportunities. We have a strong platform upon which to maintain and further strengthen our relationships with high school students, businesses, community groups and public sector organisations.

``In the latest university performance based research funding round, we were ranked first in New Zealand in marketing and tourism and second in accounting and finance, management, human resources and industrial relations.

``We are ramping up our engagement with the community through work integrated learning.

Our College aims to be internationally recognised, professionally relevant and community focused, as reflected in teaching and research.

``There are already academic synergies between business and law. Many students enrol for double degrees in Commerce and Law and some academics in the Business School teach into the LLB degree,’’ Professor Mazey says.

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