Dear Erika,

 

I refer to your request of 31 March 2026, for official information under
the Official Information Act 1982.

 

The University will respond to your request as soon as reasonably
practicable, and within the Official Information Act’s maximum time limit
of 20 working days from the date of your request (4 May 2026) unless that
time limit is extended under the Act.

Yours sincerely,

Adam

 

[1]signature_1301701140

Adam Miller

Kaiâwhina Ture | Legal Assistant

Te tari o te Ihorangi | Office of the Vice-Chancellor

Waipapa Taumata Rau | The University of Auckland

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From: Erika Whittome <[FOI #34319 email]>
Sent: Tuesday, 31 March 2026 5:48 pm
To: Legal <[University of Auckland request email]>
Subject: Official Information request - Privacy at the University of
Auckland and Covid-19
 
Dear University of Auckland,
The privacy page for the UoA says that data is collected on covid-19
vaccination and tests
[3]https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/privacy.html
"the personal information we collect about you as a student will include:
...COVID-19 vaccination and test information"

Can you please provide all the information as to what this particular data
is collected by UoA as stated it its current privacy policy?

Yours faithfully,

Erika Whittome

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This is an Official Information request made via the FYI website.

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #34319 email]

Is [University of Auckland request email] the wrong address for Official Information
requests to University of Auckland? If so, please contact us using this
form:
[4]https://fyi.org.nz/change_request/new?bo...

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on
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[5]https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers

If you find this service useful as an Official Information officer, please
ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's OIA or LGOIMA
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References

Visible links
3. https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/privacy.html
4. https://fyi.org.nz/change_request/new?bo...
5. https://fyi.org.nz/help/officers

Dear Erika,

 

I refer to your request of 31 March 2026. The University's response
follows. 

 

"The privacy page for the UoA says that data is collected on covid-19
vaccination and tests [1]https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/privacy.html
"the personal information we collect about you as a student will include:
...COVID-19 vaccination and test information"

Can you please provide all the information as to what this particular data
is collected by UoA as stated it its current privacy policy?"

 

Thank you for raising this. The University's Covid-19 vaccination policy
was in force for three months from 4 Jan 2022 until revoked on 4 April
2022. The part of our Privacy Statement which you have queried was out of
date, and so this has now been amended so that the list of kinds of
personal information we collect about students removes the "COVID-19
vaccination and test information" item and substitutes "immunisation
information, if required for your specific programme/s of study". By way
of explanation, students must be fully immunised for some specific
programmes to complete programme requirements, and the University will
collect information as necessary on a programme-specific basis to manage
these. For example, information is provided about these requirements on
our website at the following webpages:

 

[2]https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/study/appl...

 

"As a MBChB student, you must be fully immunised to complete the
requirements of the programme.

The University of Auckland respects the right of students to refuse
COVID-19 vaccination, and does not require COVID-19 vaccination as a
condition for enrolment or study at the University. Students may therefore
be admitted into the MBChB who for cultural, religious, family, health or
other personal reasons have chosen not to receive vaccination against
COVID-19.

If the vaccination status of a student prevents the student from
completing clinical placement activities, or limits their full
participation in such activities, the University cannot guarantee that the
student will be able to complete all the requirements for the degree of
MBChB."

[3]https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/study/appl...

 

"While studying a clinical programme at the University of Auckland, you
will need to be immunised to complete your programme requirements. 

Immunised means that you have been vaccinated or inoculated against
certain diseases to development immunity from infection. 

Being immunised is a requirement of working as a healthcare worker in Te
Whatu Ora, the New Zealand public healthcare system.

Immunisations are a requirement because: 

* In New Zealand, all healthcare workers must be protected from the
diseases that they encounter while working
* The University assures Health Training Providers that you're safe to
work in clinical environments, meaning you are less likely to be
infected with or transmit vaccine preventable infectious diseases to
patients. 

Throughout your career you may be asked to provide evidence of your
immunisations. 

 

You will be sent more information by email about the immunisation
requirements and screening process for your programme.

Depending on your programme requirements, immunity or vaccinations for the
following will likely be required:

* Varicella Zoster
* Measles
* Mumps
* Rubella
* Hepatitis B
* Hepatitis C (status required only)
* TB
* Pertussis

As of Wednesday 18 December 2024, the Te Whatu Ora Pre-employment COVID-19
Vaccination Policy will no longer be in effect. This means that while
getting vaccinated for COVID-19 is recommended (as is also the case for
Influenza), it will not be expected of students attending Te Whatu Ora
placements.

 

The University of Auckland respects the right of students to refuse
COVID-19 vaccination, and does not require COVID-19 vaccination as a
condition for enrolment or study at the University. Students may therefore
be admitted into our programmes who for cultural, religious, family,
health or other personal reasons have chosen not to receive vaccination
against COVID-19.

 

If the vaccination status of a student prevents the student from
completing clinical placement activities, or limits their full
participation in such activities, the University cannot guarantee that the
student will be able to complete all the requirements for their
programme."

 

Yours sincerely,

Landon Watt
Legal Advisor
Office of the Vice-Chancellor

Waipapa Taumata Rau | University of Auckland 

 

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