Cafe 1894

The University of Canterbury was founded in 1873 as Canterbury College in Christchurch New Zealand. It was the second university established in the country and the first constituent college of the University of New Zealand. Funded initially by the Canterbury Provincial Council, it opened to provide higher education modelled on British universities, with a strong emphasis on accessibility — notably admitting women from the start.  Its original purpose was to advance knowledge through teaching and research in arts, science, and professions, serving the growing colony. Renamed the University of Canterbury in 1957, it moved to its current Ilam campus in 1975 as a self-contained campus of about 188 acres with 50 major structures for 27,000 students.