About Kāpuhipuhi Wellington Uni-Professional
Delivering professional development short courses as part of Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington for more than 100 years
He kōpara te manu nāna i eke te kāpuhipuhi o te kahikatea rā
A bellbird that ascends to the top of the kahikatea tree
Our name, Kāpuhipuhi, symbolises the cluster of new growth at the top of a tree. As reflected in the whakataukī, it represents growth, reaching for the light, and striving for professional excellence.
Over a Century of Professional Development short courses
In 1915, Victoria University, together with the Worker’s Educational Association (WEA), began offering adult education courses in Wellington, covering topics like Economics, Electricity, and English. This partnership in continuing education lasted until the mid-70s, with Victoria University Extension expanding its reach, offering classes as far afield as Taihape and maintaining a base in Palmerston North.
Over time, University Extension evolved into the Centre of Continuing Education. In the early 2000s, it merged with the Faculty of Business Graduate School to form the Centre of Continuing Education and Executive Development, which later became the Centre for Lifelong Learning. This centre offered short courses for both professional development and personal interest.
In 2021, the Centre for Lifelong Learning joined with Wellington UniVentures course delivery arm to create Wellington Uni-Professional Ltd.
A fully owned subsidiary of the University, Kāpuhipuhi Wellington Uni-Professional (WUPL) was established to consolidate and expand non-degree teaching. This strategic move responded to the increasing demand for continuous learning and professional development, while creating a more customer-focused and commercially agile entity to better connect and serve professionals and organisations.
Today, Kāpuhipuhi Wellington Uni- Professional delivers short courses, micro-credentials, and customised programmes to over 5,000 New Zealand based and international learners across more than 300 courses and programmes annually. We have a focus on building deep connections with our client organisations to understand their needs and build capability solutions that support them to realise their goals.
Explore our website to learn more about what we offer.
Aronga | Vision
To grow skills, to empower confidence and adaptability at work
Tō tātou whanonga pono | Our values
Kāpuhipuhi Wellington Uni-Professional has identified seven constellations (core values) which lay the foundation of how we will work together and with others to achieve our vision.
Mana
We will act in a mana-enhancing way demonstrating respect and authenticity to ourselves, our customers, and our communities
Manaakitanga
We will provide a safe workspace that allows us to care for each other, our whānau, our communities and our environment.
Whanaungatanga
We will recognise the importance of establishing, maintaining, and nurturing all relationships with our colleagues, clients, and customers, expressing generosity in all that we do.
Arohatanga
We will welcome everyone into our workspace with empathy, warmth, and compassion to foster a positive environment.
Tapatahi
We will conduct our work with trust, honesty, and fairness by creating an environment where we behave in a transparent manner, accept accountability, and communicate to find mutual understanding.
Mahitahi
We will work collaboratively with our teams and communities by valuing everyone’s contributions and embracing cultural perspectives and diverse backgrounds.
Auahatanga
We will continually explore opportunities to improve, adapt, create, and thrive through innovative thinking and embracing change.
Sustainability
We are proud to be taking care of your professional development and your carbon emissions.
All-of-Government Consulting Panel
Kāpuhipuhi Wellington Uni-Professional’s inclusion in the All-of-Government (AoG) panel highlights our commitment to delivering high-quality consultancy services to state sector agencies and local government authorities. As a trusted provider of professional development solutions, we’re well-positioned to help government agencies enhance their people capability strategies and develop workforce skills through our tailored learning programmes.
Our extensive course catalogue enables public sector teams to upskill, improve processes, and deliver greater value to the taxpayer. Being part of the AoG panel makes it easier for agencies to engage our services, ensuring a streamlined procurement process, competitive rates, and timely, on-budget delivery.
The AoG consultancy panel, managed by the New Zealand Government Procurement team, offers key benefits to state sector agencies:
Simplified hiring process: Agencies can hire consultants without renegotiating terms or using the full Government Electronic Tenders Service (GETS).
Pre-selected expertise: The panel includes consultants with proven capacity, capability, and expertise to meet government needs.
Competitive rates: Pre-negotiated rates provide cost-effective solutions.
Online panel directory: Agencies can easily compare and select consultants, with access to performance data on all panel members.
Our presence on the AoG panel underscores our dedication to supporting the public sector with high-impact learning and development initiatives. Contact us to discuss what this means for your organisation and establishing a Consulting Services Order (CSO).
Meet our team
Connect with our Team, get to know our course presenters, kaiako and facilitators and learn about our board.
Contact us
Contact us to discuss finding the right course, customising a programme, planning your professional development project, for help enrolling or any other queries