University of Waikato Breaks Ground on Graduate School of Medicine in New Zealand

The University of Waikato broke ground in December of 2025 on the New Zealand Graduate School of Medicine at the heart of its Hamilton campus. Designed by Chow:Hill Architects, the 59,202-sf facility will initially accommodate 120 students per year with the capacity to expand to cohorts of 160 in the future. The NZD 230 million (USD 132.2 million) building will feature a variety of purpose-built teaching environments to enable the delivery of an innovative pedagogy that emphasizes hands-on experience and technology-rich educational modalities. Collaborative learning spaces for small groups will be accompanied by digital anatomy labs, VR-equipped case study rooms, clinical skills practice areas, and hospital-standard simulation wards. 

Providing the flexibility to adapt to evolving programmatic needs, the four-story structure will promote comprehensive placements in rural and regional settings to improve patient access to treatment. The sophisticated development will strengthen the country’s primary care workforce pipeline and catalyze academic and economic growth, and is supported by NZD 82.85 million (USD 47.7 million) in government funding.

Fosters Construction is serving as the general contractor alongside project manager Colliers. Other firms lending their expertise include Beca, CKL, Holmes Group, Tonkin + Taylor, Rider Levett Bucknall, BCD Group, Assemble, Mott MacDonald, Agile Engineering, and Boffa Miskell. Occupancy is anticipated in 2028.