University of Auckland has this afternoon announced that it has entered into a three-year strategic partnership with the Eden Park Trust to foster greater community connection and create innovative opportunities for research and teaching and learning.

Eden Park would not confirm whether the University was making a financial commitment as part of its agreement. A spokesperson for Eden Park told ZB Plus that the terms of the partnership agreement "are commercial and in confidence".

Last year the government announced a $128 million injection into tertiary institutions reportedly in the hope that it would stave off the hundreds of job cuts threatened, and programmes being slashed.

The University of Auckland received the largest boost at $14.5m in 2024 and the same again in 2025. 

“As two iconic New Zealand institutions, the University of Auckland and Eden Park are committed to working together to contribute to whanaungatanga and the community we are both part of,” said University of Auckland Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dawn Freshwater.

“Our strategic plan expresses our desire to deepen our relationship with the diverse communities of the region, as well as undertaking research for the good of these communities.

“By establishing the University of Auckland as Eden Park’s exclusive education and research partner, we hope to further these commitments while also bolstering our community outreach and international reach and significance.

“Together, we will collaborate to create opportunities for educational exchanges, joint research, work integrated learning and internship experiences, venue-related professional development experiences, and aligned community and cultural initiatives that benefit the community we proudly serve.”

The three-year agreement will also see the stadium’s North Stand become the University of Auckland North Stand.

Eden Park CEO Nick Sautner says he is delighted to welcome the University of Auckland to Eden Park’s family of Icon Partners and the naming rights sponsor of the North Stand.

“At the core of this three-year partnership is a shared ambition to ensure Auckland is a great place to live, work and play.

“The University of Auckland is a global leader in education, and we’re thrilled to be working with them to facilitate a range of innovative initiatives and programmes focused on education, work experience, research, and professional development that will inspire our future generations.

A spokesperson for Eden Park told ZB Plus, "By merging our respective knowledge and skills, various opportunities will be created in our respective organisations through education and research. The University has a number of exciting projects that align with Eden Park's strategic priorities."

"The adaptive reuse adopted in the B201 building is world-leading and the only 6-star building in New Zealand. We look forward to harnessing this methodology as we embark on Eden Park 2.1 planning. Furthermore, the University of Auckland’s sports and recreation facilities will be world-class and assist local and international teams through research."

"We look forward to developing industry-specific content and harnessing leadership in stadium economics and operations. For example, last week, Melbourne University hosted Swiftposium, a hybrid-academic conference organised by scholars from six universities across Australia and New Zealand."

"Attracting more than 400 submissions, spanning 60 academic disciplines from 78 academic institutions worldwide, the conference facilitated critical dialogue about the influence Taylor Swift has had on the intersection of music, economics, business, media studies, health and societal and cultural impact," the spokesperson said.