International partnerships

Euroleague for Life Sciences

Lincoln University is the sole Euroleague for Life Sciences (ELLS) partner in New Zealand and one of the only two based outside Europe. ELLS is an alliance of land-based universities, each focusing on areas including natural resource management, agricultural and forestry sciences, life sciences, animal sciences, food sciences, agricultural economics, environmental sciences and rural development.

This cohesion enables ELLS to promote global knowledge and innovation exchange through student exchanges, Master’s programmes and summer schools, offering students opportunities spanning undergraduate to postgraduate studies.

The ELLS partnership provides Lincoln University with an international focus, delivering numerous strategic benefits through an enhanced international profile, increased student mobility and research collaborations.

One of the 13 member universities, BOKU University in Vienna, has already established a student exchange with Lincoln to encourage student mobility and knowledge exchange. The Master of Natural Resources Management and Ecological Engineering from Lincoln allows students to study for one semester at BOKU University. This type of exchange offers many benefits, including exposure to a different culture and the expansion of knowledge into new areas.

Joint Institute with Huazhong Agricultural University

The Joint Institute with Huazhong Agricultural University (HZAU) in China and Lincoln University welcomed its first cohort of Chinese students to the Lincoln campus in 2024. The partnership is a significant milestone for Lincoln University, emphasising its role in expanding international partnerships and pathways to support student growth and global engagement.

The institute offers four jointly awarded qualifications by Lincoln University and HZAU, including the Master of Environmental Management, Bachelor of Science in Conservation and Ecology, Bachelor of Viticulture and Oenology, and Bachelor of Commerce (Horticulture) and is situated at HZAU in Wuhan, China. Students will complete their studies entirely in China and will graduate with degrees from both Lincoln University and HZAU.

The Joint Institute of Huazhong Agricultural University will have a total enrolment of 1,000 students, though there may be opportunities for growth, providing pathways for more postgraduate students from HZAU to Lincoln University. There is also a staff exchange component that fosters global knowledge and innovation exchange across land-based sectors.

The partnership offers the University an opportunity to collaborate with a top-tier institution such as HZAU, aligning with the land-based sectors in agriculture, food sciences, environmental management, soil and physical sciences, viticulture, and oenology. “

New Zealand – China Water Research Centre 

The New Zealand-China Water Research Centre, based at Lincoln University, was created to foster long-term partnerships between scientists in New Zealand and China. These collaborations bring together a range of organisations to deliver integrated research on water quality and related environmental challenges.

Established in 2016, the Centre works in partnership with the Bioeconomy Science Institute, Lincoln Agritech Ltd and the University of Otago. It is one of three centres supported by New Zealand’s Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) to strengthen bilateral research ties.

In recent years, Lincoln University has welcomed delegates from China and New Zealand to campus for the New Zealand-China Water Research Centre Workshop. Attendees have represented over 20 leading scientific institutions and universities from both countries.

Lincoln University’s Professor Hong Di, Director of the Centre, notes that it hosts workshops, runs joint research programmes, and welcomes visiting scientists and students throughout the year to conduct research in freshwater and climate-related areas. Through this work, the centre has developed a strong network of collaborators and published more than 150 joint papers.

The centre also aims to deepen Māori engagement with China and showcase New Zealand as a hub for research excellence while tackling global challenges such as water contamination, efficient resource use, greenhouse gas emissions and climate change.