Two Invercargill tertiary education providers will share a campus next year.
The University of Otago’s College of Education Invercargill programmes will move to the Southern Institute of Technology (SIT) main campus in December this year.
Programmes will be delivered there from the start of 2027.
The present College of Education campus, in Nelson St, was recently sold.
University of Otago strategy, analytics and reporting director David Thomson said relocating to SIT would offer new opportunities for connection, collaboration and support for both institutions.
"We believe this will be beneficial for staff and students alike."
While the two institutions would share a campus, the programmes delivered at the College of Education would continue under the umbrella of the University of Otago.
"Our academic leadership, curriculum, qualifications and staff remain with the University of Otago," he said.
About 80 students were enrolled in the college’s programmes and travelled daily from as far as Gore, Riverton and Bluff.
The decision to sell the Nelson St property was made as part of a plan to ensure a more sustainable future for the delivery of initial teacher education programmes in Waihōpai and was in-keeping with the university’s aim of making space efficiency gains where possible, he said.
The timing of the move would ensure there was minimal disruption to students’ learning and provide time for the new space to be refurbished, he said.
SIT chief executive Bharat Guha said having most of Southland’s tertiary education located in one place was a great opportunity.
"We’ve got a whole mixture of students undertaking different degrees and it’ll be great to have them on site.
"It will just add to the vibrancy."
