Prof Crampton was addressing more than 230 people, mostly Otago physiotherapy graduates, at a campus opening ceremony for a physiotherapy alumni gathering. This continues until tomorrow and marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Otago School of Physiotherapy, in 1913.
He emphasised physiotherapy's role as a health-care profession.
This week's anniversary activities were not primarily celebrating the individual achievements of physiotherapists, although these were important.
Alumni were, in fact, celebrating the ''birth and establishment'' of a profession over the past 100 years.
The achievements of the Otago School of Physiotherapy were ''impressive'', its teaching programmes were widely acknowledged to be of high quality and the school's research was of ''high international standard'', he said.
Dunedin Mayor Dave Cull welcomed school graduates back to Dunedin.
The Otago school had changed and developed over time and details of its links with Dunedin Hospital, Otago Polytechnic and Otago University had also changed over the years.
But the school had always remained in Dunedin, where it had become ''a very significant feature of its educational landscape'', he said.
Otago University research manager Maori Mark Brunton, the school dean, Prof David Baxter, and deputy dean Dr Margot Skinner also spoke at the 5.30pm opening.
