Alexander Watt Williamson

Alexander Watt Williamson (1849-1928) in 1874 was the first person to receive a degree from a New Zealand University. He received the first and only degree issued by the University of Otago before it merged into the University of New Zealand (which in 1961 was dissolved into four independent universities and two associated agricultural colleges). Later in 1876 Alexander was reissued a Bachelor of Arts degree certificate from the University of New Zealand.^[1]

In 1948 his certificate was returned to the University of Otago where it was hung in the Board Room of the University in Dunedin.

References

1. Beryl Carpenter (1973). For Better For Worse. New Zealand.