INTERNAL MEMORANDUM
The ClockTower
23 Princes Street
Auckland, New Zealand
Memo to:
University Executive Committee (UEC)
From:
Professor Dawn Freshwater – Vice Chancellor
Date:
5 November 2024
Subject:
The Case for Amalgamating the Faculty of Business and Economics
with the Faculty of Law
1.
Executive Summary
The recently announced new arrangements for the faculties of Arts, Education and Social Work, and Creative
Arts and Industries has significantly enhanced the overall strength and balance of our faculty structure. This
paper proposes a further re-evaluation of the configuration and composition of the faculty structure, partly in
response to some of the feedback received in the consultation process from the recent changes. In light of the
new arrangement, the Faculty of Law’s size and scale now appears disproportionate compared to the other
faculties. Consequently, I have been considering whether there is potential for an amalgamation of the Faculty
of Law with the Faculty of Business and Economics.
Combining the Faculty of Law with the Faculty of Business and Economics will further enhance the
organisational effectiveness of the University through a tighter, more focused group of faculties and academic
leaders. This has the potential for several important improvements:
●
Enhanced collective executive decision-making and alignment with strategic goals
●
Increased efficiency
●
Improved inter-faculty collaboration
●
Enhanced flexibility and adaptability
In addition, there are a wide range of opportunities and benefits resulting from the merging of the faculties:
●
Enhanced commercial law teaching, research, and connections with the business community and
internationally, through combining expertise contained in both faculties.
●
Enhancement of research centres and research opportunities
●
Strengthening postgraduate programmes including the JD Programme
●
Establishing pathways to Law in postgraduate study
●
Broader professional reach
●
Leveraging combined strengths – e.g. intellectual property and commercialisation
●
Strengthening career paths for students
●
Enhancing access for Māori and Pacific students
●
Achieving greater scale, building a more resilient faculty structure
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Recommendation:
1. That the Faculty of Law become part of the Faculty of Business and Economics and the combined
Faculty then be re-named appropriately.
2. That the Auckland University Business School and Auckland Law School be retained in the transfer to
the new structure, and that transition leadership be established to ensure the changes are effectively
managed and to minimize any impacts to teaching and research. An Acting Dean of Law would be
appointed to manage the transition before the Heads of Department\Dean\Deputy Dean of Law are
appointed. The current Dean of Business & Economics would be the Dean of the combined Faculty.
3. That two law departments be created. One (private and commercial law) and one (public,
environmental, international law) Members of the current Department of Commercial Law in the
Business School would become members of the private and commercial law department in the Law
School. Each department would have a Head of Department with one Head of Department being the
Dean of Law, who would report to the Dean of the combined Faculty, and one Head of Department
being the Deputy Dean of Law.
2.
Background
Faculty of Business and Economics
The University of Auckland Business School, the leading business school in New Zealand, is renowned for its
strong connections with industry and its focus on developing future business leaders. It offers a comprehensive
range of undergraduate, postgraduate, and executive education programmes, with numerous opportunities for
students to engage in internships, business competitions, and entrepreneurial initiatives. Research is an
important focus, with the School hosting several active research centres. The Business School's emphasis on
collaboration, innovation, and excellence has solidified its reputation as a top choice for students and
professionals. The school has earned prestigious accreditations, including from the triple crown accreditation
(AMBA, AACSB International and EQUIS), placing it in the top one percent of Business Schools internationally
and reflecting its commitment to high-quality business education and research.
● 4.6% of students identify as Māori (below UoA average 6-7%), 6.5% Pacific (below UoA average 8-9%)
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Faculty of Law
The Auckland Law School has been a core part of the University of Auckland since its inception, and is New
Zealand’s leading law school. The School is one of the highest ranked parts of the university at 55 in QS in
2024. Renowned for its commitment to excellence, the Law School offers a comprehensive range of
undergraduate, and postgraduate, and professional development programmes, including the LLB, LLM, and
PhD in Law. It is celebrated for producing graduates who are highly skilled, socially conscious, and prepared to
make meaningful contributions in both local and global legal spheres. Faculty members are distinguished
experts and active researchers, often contributing to influential legal scholarship and policy across a range of
legal areas through public law, private law, legal theory, environmental and indigenous law.
Student Profile:
● 9.8% of students identify as Māori (above UoA average 6-7%), 11.9% Pacific (above UoA average 8-9%)
3.
Faculty Opportunities and Benefits
By combining the Faculty of Business and Economics and the Faculty of Law the benefits, include:
1. Strengthening Commercial Law
Auckland is the commercial centre of New Zealand, and the University of Auckland should be clearly
recognised as the centre of commercial law excellence for the nation. Expertise in commercial and private
law is currently spread across the two faculties with minimal interactions making natural synergies and
scale difficult. A combined commercial law group would immediately create the critical mass needed to
lead commercial law research and impact in the nation. The longstanding research Centre for Law and
Business is based in the Law Faculty. Amalgamating the faculties would facilitate the Centre drawing on a
wider range of commercial law expertise. It would also facilitate research mentorship in law from more
senior academics and create links for the relatively small group of commercial law researchers in the
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current Department of Commercial Law.
2.
Strengthening postgraduate law and creating opportunities for future Working Professional
programmes
The JD programme is a key initiative for the University of Auckland that aligns with the development of the
Working Professionals strategy. The Faculty of Business and Economics has developed expertise in the
delivery of Working Professional programmes over many years and have been successful in attracting
students to those programmes. There is recognition of the different expectations of premium fee-paying
students at a different life stage to undergraduate learners and until the new law Building is completed,
purpose-built teaching rooms to hold JD classes could be accommodated within the Business School. The
infrastructure in place around the Working Professional programmes and the expert professional and
academic staff in place combined with the expert professional staff from Law are equipped to enhance
student experience for the JD, and also existing postgraduate programmes where student numbers are in
some instances less than optimal such as the Master of Laws (LLM) Masters of Taxation Studies (MTaxS)
Master of Legal Studies (MLS) and Master of Intellectual Property (MIP). In addition, existing and future
postgraduate offerings from the Business School can draw on the expertise of a wider range of law
academics.
3. Research Centres
Both Faculties have department and faculty research centres that would be enhanced by involvement of
research academics from a wider range of disciplines. For example, the Energy Centre in the Faculty of
Business and Economics would benefit from involvement by environmental lawyers and Juncture: Dialogues
on inclusive capitalism would benefit from involvement by law academics. Other Centres such as the
Aotearoa Centre for Leadership and Governance and the Centre for Research on Modern Slavery have clear
relevance for law academics. The co-hosting of Ngā Ara Whetū the University Research Centre by Business
would facilitate links with law academics researching on environmental law issues. The funding available
through those Centres could facilitate research by law academics in those strategic areas.
Relatedly, the significance of technology law has been recognised by the creation of a cross-faculty law and
technology chair through the strategic fund. The Law and Technology Centre is currently based in the Law
Faculty. In a combined faculty the Centre could more readily draw on the expertise of the many commercial
law academics who specialize in technology law and also on the technology expertise found in disciplinary
areas across the current Faculty of Business and Economics, in particular in the Information Systems group.
Opportunities for transdisciplinary research would increase.
4.
Professional Schools
Both the Business School and the Law School focus on preparing graduates for professional careers - in
accounting and in law respectively. Efforts could be combined in the joint faculty and in teaching expertise
in key areas such as ethics with the forthcoming appointment of the Professor of Ethics in Business.
Expertise in wrap-around support in areas such as the career centre and in industry networking events
could be combined and shared programmes such as the women’s mentorship programme enhanced.
5.
Establishing Pathways to Law in Postgraduate Study
A combined faculty has the potential to create pathways for students from Business to pursue legal studies,
making legal education more accessible and inclusive. This approach could broaden the diversity of the
student body and enrich the learning environment by bringing together individuals with different
perspectives.
6.
Leveraging Combined Strengths
By leveraging the combined strengths of Business and Law, the university can prioritize important and
innovative areas such as fintech, intellectual property, corporate governance, taxation, law and economics,
and international trade law. Legal expertise can further enhance majors and areas in Business such as
Human Resources Management (Employment Law) marketing (marketing law), international business
(international trade law) and Innovation and Entrepreneurship (intellectual property law ). The Commercial
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Law Department shares teaching or offers electives in many of these majors; in an amalgamated faculty a
wider range of teachers could be drawn on and in addition the electives could be opened up to Law
students as well as Business students. Similarly the MTaxS and the MIP (Master of Intellectual Property)
currently offered by the Law School would be enhanced by drawing on expertise not just from the
academics currently based in the Commercial Law Department but also from academics in those areas from
across the Business School. This strategic alignment supports the university’s goals of fostering innovation
and maintaining a competitive edge in the academic landscape, keeping the institution at the forefront of
evolving global trends.
7.
Strengthening Career Paths for Students
A combined Business and Law faculty strengthens the potential career pathways for students by equipping
them with an integrated skill set that combines legal knowledge with business acumen, enhancing their
employability. Both faculties have strengths in student engagement across a wide range of areas. For
example the Business School is internationally recognized for its international leadership in case
competitions. The Law School enjoys many successes in mooting and mediation competitions. These clear
strengths could be built upon. Additionally, students benefit from expanded networking opportunities, as
they gain access to a broader alumni network and more industry connections through the unified faculty.
8.
Enhancing access for Māori and Pacific students
The combined faculty will enhance access to both business and legal education by building on existing
outreach programs. In addition, the combined faculty will approximately double the size of Māori and
Pacific staff, creating a stronger critical mass of staff to have a voice on campus, and to provide support to
students.
9.
Achieving Economies of Scale and Building a Resilient Faculty Structure
The amalgamation enables economies of scale, optimising resources and lowering overall operational costs.
The larger scale could be particularly beneficial to the Law School improving its access to a wider resource
pool. It would also create potential career paths within the faculty for professional staff currently in the Law
School.
10.
Inclusivity
The Faculty of Law currently has minimal research and teaching links across the University. The combined
faculty would immediately facilitate links between academics in the law school and business school and
may facilitate law school academics to leverage links across the University.
4.
Organisational Effectiveness
By further optimising the university’s structure, we aim to improve our internal operations and enhance our
ability to achieve our strategic goals, respond to external challenges, and provide greater value to stakeholders.
The University’s current faculty structure comprises 8 faculties, with CAI, EDSW and Law each comprising
approximately 2000 EFTS. The changes announced in June result in the establishment of a New Faculty with
approximate 7,400 EFTS and a new Engineering + faculty of approx. 5,500 EFTS.
In the new structure, the Faculty of Law is disproportionately smaller than the other faculties (1,977 EFTS), but
if combined with Business & Economics (6,101 EFTS), would result in the following faculty structure (Business
and Law 8,088 EFTS):
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The outcome of the proposed faculty structure would be a new academic leadership team of 5 Deans reporting
to the Provost. This has the potential to generate enhanced leadership and organisation effectiveness, including:
1. Better Alignment with Strategic Goals
A tighter faculty and leadership structure strengthens the alignment of academic leaders toward shared
objectives, ensuring that faculties work cohesively to achieve the University’s strategic goals. This
streamlined approach also simplifies performance tracking, making it easier to monitor progress and
implement corrective actions when needed, supporting continuous advancement toward the
University’s vision.
2. Increased Efficiency
An optimised faculty structure enhances efficiency by streamlining structures and processes across the
University, enabling smoother workflows and quicker decision-making. This approach ensures that
essential resources are allocated effectively to where they are most needed, maximising their impact.
3. Improved Collaboration
A streamlined leadership and faculty structure fosters stronger inter-faculty relationships, promoting
enhanced transparency, understanding, and opportunities for collaboration.
4. Enhanced Flexibility and Adaptability
A more agile academic structure allows the University to swiftly respond to changing market demands,
technological innovations, and regulatory requirements. This flexibility nurtures a culture where new
ideas are not only encouraged but can also be implemented efficiently, fostering continuous growth and
improvement.
5.
Recommendation
By amalgamating the Faculty of Business and Economics with the Faculty of Law, it is proposed to create a
distinctive and robust new faculty that capitalizes on the strengths of each. This strategic move will not only
balance the faculty sizes but also enhance our academic offerings, provide greater opportunities for students
and staff, and strengthen our international reputation. The proposed merger is a forward-looking solution
designed to meet the evolving needs of the University and the professions we serve.
Consequently, the following recommendations are proposed for endorsement by the UEC:
1.
That the Faculty of Law become part of the Faculty of Business and Economics and the combined
Faculty then be re-named appropriately.
2.
That the Auckland University Business School and Auckland Law School be retained in the transfer to
the new structure, and that transition leadership be established to ensure the changes are effectively
managed and to minimize any impacts to teaching and research. An Acting Dean of Law would be
6
appointed to manage the transition before the Heads of Department\Dean\Deputy Dean of Law are
appointed. The current Dean of Business & Economics would be the Dean of the combined Faculty.
3.
That two law departments be created. One (private and commercial law) and one (public,
environmental, international law) Members of the current Department of Commercial Law in the
Business School would become members of the private and commercial law department in the Law
School. Each department would have a Head of Department with one Head of Department being the
Dean of Law, who would report to the Dean of the combined Faculty, and one Head of Department
being the Deputy Dean of Law.
6. Next Steps
Event
Date
UEC Meeting
Tuesday November 5
Send invitations to Faculty Executive and Staff
meetings
Faculty Executive Meetings (In Person)
Tuesday, 12 November
Combined Faculty Staff Meeting (Zoom)
Tuesday 12 November
Regular All UoA Staff Meeting (Zoom)
Initiate Feedback Phase
Wednesday, 13 November
Faculty Meetings:
● Business and Economics
● Law
Feedback Phase Closes
Documents provided to Review Committee members
Review Committee Meeting
Senate Agenda
Senate Meeting
Council Agenda
Council Meeting
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Appendix 1
Change Analysis
Description
Change
No Change
University of Auckland
Both Schools are retained
Business School /Law School
Department Structure
The Auckland Law School is
expanded with the
incorporation of the
Department of Commercial
Law currently situated in the
Faculty of Business and
Economics.
Dean of Law
The position of Dean of the
Auckland School of Law is
retained and will initially be an
internal appointment from
within the School reporting to
the Dean of the combined
Faculty.
Academic Leadership
Current Associate Dean roles
within the School of Law will
be subject to review
Academic Staff
No Change
Professional Staff
Professional staff roles will be
subject to review to reflect
the new organisational
arrangement.
Academic qualifications and
No change is proposed
programmes
Research
No change is proposed
Student Learning and
No change is proposed
Experience
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