With the largest number of in-person graduates in four years, the ceremonies were split into two sessions at the Dunedin Town Hall.
Otago Polytechnic chief executive Andrew McSweeney said all of the kaimahi (staff) enjoyed graduation as a great opportunity to celebrate the hard work of overcoming challenges and achieving success.
"Seeing how much achieving a qualification means to our learners and their whānau is very inspiring and uplifting.
We help people transform their lives and achieve whatever success means to them and that is a position of real privilege."
Alongside the formal graduation ceremonies there were pre-graduation events that allowed Pasifika, Māori and individual schools to gather together and tell personal and emotional stories of their study journeys, he said.
