University of Tokapa

University of Tokapa

Whare Wananga o te Tokapa
Abbreviation	UT
Nickname	Tokkies
Motto	The light of knowledge shines the way (Ko te maarama o te maarama e whiti te huarahi)
Predecessor	Scholarly communities of Tokapa
Formation	18 March 1891
Founder	Emperor Rangitake
Type	Public residential research university
Legal status	Non-profit organization
Purpose	Education
Location	Tokapa, Tokamotu, The Oan Isles
Official language	Staynish and Oan
President	Dr Maati Rangi
Affiliations	Joint Oan-Morstaybishlian Research Task Team
Budget	2.750 billion KRB
Revenue	3.205 billion KRB
Expenses	3.150 billion KRB
Endowment	12.525 billion KRB
Staff	3,000
Students	17,000
Website	www.ut.ac.oan

The University of Tokapa (abbreviated UT, Whare Wananga o te Tokapa in Oan) is a public residential research university in Tokapa, the Oan Isles. It was founded in the late 19th century by Rangitanga-a-te-Moana Rangitake the Great to help the Oan Isles improve technologically, making it the oldest Western-style university in the Oan Isles. However, it traces its history to communities of scholars from Tokapa who have conducted research and teaching for hundreds of years. It is among the most prestigious institutions of higher learning in Aurora and the most prestigious in the country. Spanning 3 campuses and housing millions of volumes, former heads of state, heads of government and Cabinet ministers have attended or worked at UT.

History

Founder of the University, Emperor Rangitake

The Morsto-Oan War displayed the technological and organizational weaknesses of the military of the Oan Isles. The country was defeated in that war, losing territory, population, economic potential, cultural heritage and national pride. To restore the nation and enable it to stand up for itself in a world increasingly dominated by great powers, Emperor of Polynesia Rangitake ordered the establishment of a modern university modelled led after the Royal Bursil University in Sani Bursil, Great Morstaybishlia and the Shiro Academy in Cupertino, Infinite Loop. Scholarly communities which had conducted research and teaching in Tokapa for centuries were amalgamated and formalized under new laws and the state provided public buildings to help them carry out their work.

The University’s initial focus was to prepare the Oan Isles for future wars with large Auroran powers. It started classes in biology, medicine, physics, chemistry, mathematics, engineering, politics, history, economics, international relations, law and Staynish. This included appointing foreigners such as Prof Edward Smith, a Staynish physicist and mathematician as its first President. Prof Smith significantly expanded the university and shaped its structure and purpose. Nevertheless, his progressive ideals were often at odds with the government, which despised the independence he championed for the university.

The University of Tokapa was instrumental in helping the Oan Isles prepare for the Great War. Its scholars and students discovered new processes for making explosives and finding sources of nitroglycerin and potash. The university was also a hotbed of political debate because it invigorated and organized the intellectual class. The human and economic cost of the Great War and the undemocratic institutions which perpetuated that war, galvanized members of the Faculty and student body to resist and protest the state. Their contributions paved the way for democratization in the Oan Isles.

Organization

Governance

A member of the Royal Family, usually the head of the Royal Foundation, is the Patron of the University. This position is currently occupied by Lady Aroha, Serene Consort of Polynesia. The University is constituted in terms of the Statute of the University of Tokapa issued in terms of the Tertiary Education Law. The university is a public non-profit organization whose highest authority is the Governing Council. The Governing Council consists of representatives of students, faculty, staff, the community and state and is accountable to Minister of Education and in turn the government for the work of the university. Nevertheless, the university has the independence to conduct its work without the interference of the state. The Governing Council in turn appoints the President, currently Dr Maati Rangi, who is the executive head of the university. The President controls and directs the daily running of the university and proposes policies for adoption by the Governing Council.

The Student Council is the head of the Students Union. It represents their interests and it must be consulted by the President and the Governing Council before matters which will affect the student body are adopted. Using funds levied from student membership fees, the Student Council administers programs to provide for the welfare of the student body. Former students comprise the Alumni Association which, despite not having formal powers, helps to cement the university’s relationship with former students and which has symbolic powers to pass non-binding recommendations for the university

Academic divisions

The University consists of Schools which administer academic programs and research activities under an academic domain as follows:

Table of Constituent Schools

School	Principal	Academic staff	Students
School of Health Sciences	Prof Rama Toangakau	750	3520
School of Commerce	Prof Ihone Ahua	600	2480
School of Humanities	Prof Lea Putea	570	1760
School of Natural Sciences	Prof Nana Uye	430	4240
School of Engineering	Prof Amana Marama	650	5000

The Schools consist of departments, research units and other entities.

Campuses

The University of Tokapa consists of three principal campuses:

• City Centre Campus is located near the central business district of Tokapa. The campus houses most departments, administrative offices and university-provided student accommodation. The campus spans an area of 95 hectares which includes the National Tokapa Particle Accelerator, the National Paleolithic Research Institute a and the National Hydrodynamic Research Centre
• Medical Campus located nearly a kilometer (half a mile) from the City Centre Campus houses the School of Health Sciences including offices, laboratories, auditoriums, student accommodation and the Tokapa Academic Hospital. The Hospital has 500 beds and provides tertiary Healthcare and medical research especially in areas such as tropical diseases, neuroscience and cardiovascular disease.
• Oceanographic Research Station on the Sand Dune Islands is entirely devoted to research and is a collaborative project with the Department of Marine Affairs to study marine biology, oceanographic geography and geology etc.

Academics

Reputation

The University of Tokapa is consistently ranked as the best university in the Oan Isles by publications such as the Oan News National University Rankings. Among Auroran nations especially member states of the United Nations of the Auroran Continent it is considered a highly prestigious institute of higher learning.

Research

The university generates 1.175 billion KRB in research income annually. This includes public and private consultancy, royalties from patents and publications, and the sale of intellectual property. The UT Tech Corporation is responsible for translating scientific discoveries and technological innovations into profitable products and companies. It has assisted students, staff, and worked with private and public businesses to establish companies, some of which are the largest in the country such as consumer appliance manufacturer, Metatron Corporation.

In February 2021, it was announced that botanist and biotechnologist Dr Tamatea Rotorua and his team at the International Icelab had invented a chlorophyll-infused polymer-based solar panel that could remain operational in cloudy weather as it could also absorb ultraviolet light.

Repositories

Focal point of City Centre Campus, Emperor Rangitake Library

Schools and residence halls administer their own libraries. Interdisciplinary and general purpose libraries are administered by the central administration. The total collection of books and other written documents held within its archive is around 7 million volumes, the largest of which is the Emperor Rangitake Library. The Emperor Rangitake Library is a national deposit library meaning that all books published in the Oan Isle must have at least 2 copies deposited at the library.

The UT Press is the largest and oldest university press in the country, publishing about 300 books and 90 academic journals every year. The UT Open Online Respository provides digital not-for-sale access to academic and commercial writing undertaken under the auspices of the university such as dissertations, white papers, reports, manuscripts and so on. The University has many museums which house historical artefacts such as the National Museum of Engineering History which holds over 500,000 artefacts, of which only 10% are displayed at any one time.

Student life

Membership in the Students Union is compulsory and a fee is levied which helps the university administer all extracurricular activities excluding competitive sports. This includes the UT Choir, UT Debate Union, UT Student Newspaper etc. There are also many societies and clubs to choose from such as the Thaerist Society of St Matilda, Mauist Society of Maui, Investment Society (known as the Investsoc), the UNAC Youth Assembly Student Chapter, Model International Forum Student Chapter among many others.

All full-time students are housed in residential halls. Each Residential Halls is administered by a Warden and provides accommodation, catering, tutoring and welfare for its students. Residential halls administer their internal affairs including student discipline and infrastructure development with minimal interference from the university management. The university provides a bus system which transports students and staff within and between campuses in Tokapa. There are gymnasia, cinemas and gaming facilities and other entertainment on campus for students. Numerous festivals are celebrated such as the Annunciation of Maui which is celebrated with parade floats and parties.

International partnerships

Flyer for the University of Tokapa-Shiro Academy Student Exchange Program

In 2017, under the tenure of Dr Maati Rangi, OANAID, the Royal Bursil University and UT established the Joint Oan-Morstaybishlian Research Task TEAM (JOMRTT) at the International Icelab to establish the Great Seed Repository where millions of seeds from different plant species will be stored and studied. The thrust of the research collaboration is to research economically and environmentally sustainable solutions for producing food. Dr Tamatea Rotorua is the head of the Oan section of the JOMRTT.

As part of a student exchange agreement between the Oan Isles and the Free Pacific States, students can go for 6 months to 1-year study exchanges. Under this framework, the University of Tokapa and Shiro Academy's Tilden campus have a study exchange program for undergrad and postgrad students.

Notable people

Alumni

• Queen of Kuthernburg, Naomi Truden II
• Emperor of Polynesia, Oahoanu
• Prime Minister of the Oan Isles and former Governor of the Konoa Semi-autonomous Region, Maui Uye-Ahua
• Minister of Defence and former Chief of Defence Staff of the Oan Isles, General Oahuoa Uye
• Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Oan Isles, Arana Marama

Staff

• President of the University, Dr Maati Rangi
• Head of the Oan Section of the Joint Oan-Morstaybishlian Research Task Team, Dr Tamatea Rotorua
• Minister of Education of the Oan Isles, Prof Imana Toangakau, former President of the University