Auckland University of Technology, formerly known as Auckland Technical School (ATS), was founded in 1895. In 2000, with the approval of the then Governor of New Zealand, it was officially upgraded to a national comprehensive research university by the New Zealand government and changed its name to Auckland University of Technology (AUT). The 2020 Times Higher Education World University Rankings ranked Auckland University of Technology in the top 1% of universities in the world, and ranked No. 1 in New Zealand in terms of global influence (i.e. how often a university's academic research is cited by the world's leading academic journals). Auckland University of Technology has 5 university departments, 16 colleges and more than 60 institutes and research centers. Auckland University of Technology has always adhered to the teaching philosophy of steadfastly seeking knowledge, cultivating innovative awareness, and focusing on the close combination of theory and practice. Students of Auckland University of Technology come from 137 countries and regions around the world, and more than half of the faculty members have overseas backgrounds. Most of them have years of relevant industry experience and teaching experience, and most of them have taught in other universities in the world for many years. Auckland University of Technology also regularly invites professors and scholars from other world-renowned universities and industry leaders to come for guest teaching, speeches and exchanges. At the same time, some professors of Auckland University of Technology will also go to other well-known universities, such as Cambridge University, for academic exchanges in the form of visiting professors and teaching exchanges. Auckland University of Technology maintains close partnerships with more than 5,000 industries around the world and conducts scientific research cooperation projects with 140 countries.