banner for University of Otago Wikimedian in Residence with five University-related photos

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Wikidata initiatives at the University include improving information about alumni, staff and the institution itself.

Honorary doctors

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Honorary doctors of all the New Zealand universities are listed on Wikipedia, and were added to Wikidata in January 2025. A query to find all the Otago ones is here: https://w.wiki/Cot4 Recipients are 21% women.

Emeritus professors

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The list of emeritus professors was added to Wikidata several years ago. It needs updating with later appointments (see list here).

Current staff

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Publicly announced promotion announcements have been used to create statements about associate professors and full professors for approximately the last ten years. Of the Sesquicentennial Distinguished Professors, those still without Wikipedia pages include Robert Patman (Q112523900)] and Gregory M Cook (Q90460109). Distinguished Professors created since then without Wikipedia pages include Cliff Abraham (Q39182579), Peter Dearden (Q43133991), Phil Bremer (Q57002846), James Higham (Q58169949), Richard Porter (Q90085980).

Leading Thinker chairs without pages include:[1]

Graduates

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Through the New Zealand Thesis Project, graduates of all New Zealand universities are being linked to their thesis records through Wikidata. You can find visualisations, including a graph of students/advisors and a timeline of graduates, on the Wikidata project page.

Awards

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The complete list of Early Career Award for Distinction in Research (Q122740199) recipients was added to Wikidata. The Liley Medal (Q57570478) had been awarded only to six of its recipients on Wikidata. The full list was added.

Heritage listed buildings

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There are a number of historic buildings around the university. The University of Otago Clocktower complex has its own page, and so do the Allen Hall Theatre and Knox College, but as per the List of historic places in Dunedin there are a number of other listed buildings that could use coverage. These include the Richardson Building (also called the Hocken Building (former), the Walsh building (will be covered under the University of Otago Faculty of Dentistry page), the Lindo Ferguson Building, the Scott Building, the University Lodge and glasshouse at St Leonards, Selwyn College Main Building, the University Bookshop, University of Otago Physical Education Department, University of Otago Stone Bridge. The Resident Technician's Cottage could be mentioned on the Portobello Marine Laboratory page. The Marples Building (formerly dental school) appears to have been included on the Wikipedia page by mistake as there is no heritage listing showing in the register.

References

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  1. Otago, University of (2024-12-02). "Leading Thinkers". www.otago.ac.nz. Retrieved 2025-08-11.