Due to the Covid-19 pandemic EIT had to cancel all graduation celebrations, however students still graduated – and for 2019 the number was well up on previous years.

EIT, including the three campuses in Hawke’s Bay, Tairāwhiti and Auckland, continue to achieve strongly in awarding qualifications, 4,104 for 2019 – compared to 3,604 in 2018. 

In 2019, 901 students graduated with a degree or a postgraduate qualification (2018: 656).

Particularly pleasing were the numbers for Auckland and Tairāwhiti (including the regional learning centres) reflecting EIT’s commitment to off-campus delivery and outreach into regions and communities.

• Auckland: 1580 (2018: 1327);
• Tairāwhiti (including the Regional Learning Centres in e.g. Tokomaru Bay, Ruatoria etc.): 791 (2018: 787);
• Hawke’s Bay Regional Learning Centres in e.g. Wairoa, CHB, Hastings, Maraenui etc.: 789 (2018: 540). 

For the 2019 year, 46 percent of EIT Hawke’s Bay student body and 78 percent of the Tairāwhiti study body were Māori. 22 percent of Maori students were studying at degree level or higher.

EIT registered significant increase in international student numbers. 18 percent of those gaining qualifications were international students (2018: 13 percent) with the wider international student body coming from 45 countries

CEO Chris Collins notes that the growth in graduate numbers reflects the growth in student numbers. While the rest of the sector experienced a decline in enrolments and graduates, EIT enrolled a record number of over 5000 equivalent full time students, being made up of 10,817 students (2018: 10,325).