Otago Polytechnic

Otago Polytechnic is one of New Zealand’s top providers of hands-on education. Student satisfaction ratings are among the highest in Australasia, we achieved the highest possible endorsement from government, and employers love our graduates for their knowledge, independence and creativity.

Otago Polytechnic is proud to be a leader in hands-on, career-focused education, achieving some of the best student achievement and satisfaction results in Australasia, and earning resounding endorsements from employers.

Our results means you can feel confident you’ll gain a top quality qualification, have an amazing and enriching time, and put yourself in a great position for a career you love!

As educators, we are looking for innovative ways to deliver our programmes and assess people’s skills. With online tools and blended delivery options, time and distance are no barriers to gaining the education you need. We can even enable people to gain credits for knowledge they have gained in their careers.

We make a difference to the environment, community and the economy through our applied research and enterprise, and our commitment to sustainability. We are pleased to partner with industries and organisations throughout the community, using our expertise to find creative solutions and opportunities.

Otago Polytechnic is a leader in open education. We were the first post-secondary institution in the world to adopt a default Creative Commons Attribution intellectual property policy and we host the head office of the Open Education Resource Foundation which is coordinating the implementation of the OERu. We also host the Commonwealth of Learning Chair in OER. 

Dimensions of Openness in Education

Dimensions of Openness in Education

New

Learn about the concepts of open educational practices (OEP), open policy, open source and open teaching to achieve more sustainable education for all.

2016Q2
Micro course
Level: 3rd year
2 weeks, 10 hours per week
Microcredential Official course credit
OER Development Project

OER Development Project

New

Put your digital skills and knowledge of open educational practices to work and develop OER learning materials for the real world, with options for recognition towards formal academic credit.

2016Q2
Micro course
Level: 3rd year
4 weeks, self-guided study, 10 hours per week
Microcredential Official course credit
Technology Diffusion and Models of Change in Education

Technology Diffusion and Models of Change in Education

New

Learn about the complexities of change with digital technologies in tertiary education from the perspective of the educator and students and apply this knowledge to local teaching contexts.

2016Q2
Micro course
Level: 3rd year
2 weeks, 10 hours per week
Microcredential Official course credit
Designing the transition to a living future

Designing the transition to a living future

Current

In this micro course you’ll learn some powerful tools to assess and benchmark a baseline position of current sustainability performance. The focus is on finding ways to engage others in the process that will also raise their understanding of the issues, and enable them to begin seeing opportunities of sustainable practices.

Self-paced, available now
Micro course
Level: 1st & 3rd year
2 weeks, 10 hours per week
Microcredential Official course credit
Strategic planning for success

Strategic planning for success

Current

Whatever outcome you’re focused on creating - be it a building, a product, a service or a community - great design ideas are driven by starting with the end in mind. So, defining what ultimate success looks like for sustainable development is fundamental to the planning process.

Self-paced, available now
Micro course
Level: 1st & 3rd year
2 weeks, 10 hours per week
Microcredential Official course credit
Taking action and choosing priorities

Taking action and choosing priorities

Current

In this course you will learn how to prioritise the actions for sustainable development that sit between your baseline and your vision of success by applying the three prioritising questions. You will then consider communicating your work, your audience, your story, and how will you connect the two.

Self-paced, available now
Micro course
Level: 1st & 3rd year
2 weeks, 10 hours per week
Microcredential Official course credit
The inspiring challenge of sustainable development

The inspiring challenge of sustainable development

Current

In this course you'll learn how to apply an internationally recognised framework that integrates sustainability into a proven strategic planning process. It will enable you to define a vision of success and provide you with the tools you need to effectively and efficiently navigate your way there.

Self-paced, available now
Micro course
Level: 1st & 3rd year
2 weeks, 10 hours per week
Microcredential Official course credit
Digital literacies for online learning

Digital literacies for online learning

Current

Apply digital and academic learning literacies to support learning on the internet in tertiary education.

Self-paced, available now
Micro course
Level: 1st year
2 weeks, 10 hours per week
Microcredential Official course credit
Digital citizenship

Digital citizenship

Current

Explore the concept of digital citizenship and apply this knowledge to learning online and the contemporary workplace

Self-paced, available now
Micro course
Level: 1st year
2 weeks, 10 hours per week
Microcredential Official course credit
Open education, copyright and open licensing in a digital world

Open education, copyright and open licensing in a digital world

Current

Harness the potential of open education in pursuit of your own learning goals while adhering to the requirements of copyright in a digital world.

Self-paced, available now
Micro course
Level: 1st year
2 weeks, 10 hours per week
Microcredential Official course credit
Critical media literacies and associated digital skills

Critical media literacies and associated digital skills

Current

Explore the concept of media literacy and apply this knowledge to access, analyse, evaluate and create digital media

Self-paced, available now
Micro course
Level: 1st year
2 weeks, 10 hours per week
Microcredential Official course credit
The role of the project manager

The role of the project manager

Current

A project manager must understand the scope of the task ahead. This course introduces the fundamentals that project management is built upon, enabling you to develop and lead a successful project team.

Self-paced, available now
Micro course
Level: 1st year
2 Weeks , 10 hours per week
Microcredential Official course credit
Initiating a project

Initiating a project

Current

It is project management best practice to 'start with the end in mind'. This means in order to plan and manage a project, the need and the desired outcome for a project must be clearly identified and incorporated into the project charter.

Self-paced, available now
Micro course
Level: 1st year
2 weeks , 10 hours per week
Microcredential Official course credit
Planning a project

Planning a project

Current

At the heart of any successful project is a well-considered plan. You will develop an understanding of budgets, resource allocation, quality and risk in order to produce a document that outlines the project's pathway to success.

Self-paced, available now
Micro course
Level: 1st year
2 Weeks, 10 hours per week
Microcredential Official course credit
Executing and closing a project

Executing and closing a project

Current

Writing the project plan is only one of the jobs of a project manager. This micro-course identifies the steps you can follow to ensure effective implementation and prepare for your future projects.

Self-paced, available now
Micro course
Level: 1st year
2 weeks , 10 hours per week
Microcredential Official course credit
Becoming an entrepreneur

Becoming an entrepreneur

Current

Generate an entrepreneurial idea for a product or service and analyse its potential as a startup business.

Self-paced, available now
Micro course
Level: 1st year
2 weeks, 10 hours per week
Microcredential Official course credit
Planning a business start-up

Planning a business start-up

Current

Develop a business plan for a start-up business.

Self-paced, available now
Micro course
Level: 1st year
2 weeks, 10 hours per week
Microcredential Official course credit
Financing a business start-up

Financing a business start-up

Current

Develop a financial plan for a start-up business.

Self-paced, available now
Micro course
Level: 1st year
2 Weeks, 10 hours per week
Microcredential Official course credit