The Blues Awards are an annual celebration of the outstanding talent at Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland. These prestigious awards recognise students who have achieved excellence in extracurricular activities at a national or international level, or made a significant impact in their community.  

Applications for the 2025 Blues Awards open: 
1 July – 31 July 2025 

The Blues Awards are part of a tradition from England. The blue colours of Oxford and Cambridge Universities came to symbolise sporting excellence.

At Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland, the Blues Awards have evolved to recognise excellence across a range of categories: 

• Arts and Cultural 
• Business and Innovation 
• Service and Leadership 
• Sport 

Students can be nominated by someone else (e.g. staff, peers, community members) or may self-nominate. All nominations will be reviewed by the University of Auckland Blues Awards Panel. Nominees will be notified of the outcome in early September 2025. Successful nominees will be invited to attend the Blues Awards evening on 3rd October. 

Nomination criteria

To be eligible for a Blues Award in 2025, nominees must meet all of the following criteria: 

• Timeframe: Achievements must have taken place between 1 August 2024 and 31 July 2025. 
• Activity Type: Nominations must be for extra-curricular or co-curricular activities only. Activities that contribute directly to course credit (e.g. assignments or coursework) are not eligible. 
• Academic Standing: Nominees must have maintained good academic standing throughout the period of achievement. 
• University Enrolment: Nominees must have been enrolled at the University of Auckland at the time the achievements took place. Students who have since graduated are still eligible, as long as the activities occurred while they were enrolled. 
• Previous Winners: Students who have previously received a Blues Award must clearly demonstrate a higher level of achievement or a significant new contribution to be considered for another award. 

Sports Blue Criteria

Nominations for a Sports Blue will be assessed based on the level and significance of the nominee's sporting achievement. Successful nominees will typically meet one or more of the following criteria: 

• Represented New Zealand at a senior or age group level in a sport recognised by a national sporting organisation (e.g. Sport NZ or other nationally governed sports bodies). 
• Competed for a franchise or professional team in a national or international tournament (e.g. the Mystics, Blues, Warriors, etc.). 
• Achieved a top-level result in a nationally significant individual event, where the quality of competition and prestige of the event will be taken into account. (e.g. top-three placing in the Coast to Coast multisport race or in the elite division of the Round Taupō Cycle Challenge). 

The Evaluation Panel will assess the significance of the event, the calibre of the competition, and the nominee’s performance relative to their peers. 

Arts and Cultural Blue Criteria

Successful nominees will have demonstrated excellence and recognition in their artistic or cultural field. This may include (but is not limited to): Dance, Dramatic or cultural performance,Visual arts, Architecture or design, Film or media, Creative writing, Music or song, Debating or oration. To be eligible, nominees must have achieved national or international recognition in their chosen discipline. The Evaluation Panel will assess: 

• The significance of the event or platform (e.g. national competition, published work, selected exhibition) 
• The quality of the competition or context 
• The nominee’s individual role and impact within the achievement 
  

Service and Leadership Blue Criteria

This award recognises outstanding voluntary service and leadership. Activities must be unpaid and undertaken in a voluntary capacity. Nominations will be assessed against the following two core areas:

1. Contribution and Impact

• Evidence of a significant contribution to a community (local, regional,  national, or international)
• The value, reach, and benefit of their service to others
• Demonstrated positive and lasting impact  

2. Leadership and Initiative

• Demonstrated leadership in setting direction or creating positive     change within a group, organisation, or cause
• Led or contributed to complex projects that resulted in meaningful outcomes Actively supported, mentored, or empowered others 
• Identified and addressed recurring challenges or barriers  

Club and student association executives are not normally expected to receive a Blue for their contribution in such roles. Blues will only be awarded to club and student association executives in exceptional circumstances and will require clear and strong evidence that they have achieved at a very high level and well beyond the normal requirements of the role. 

Business and Innovation Blue Criteria

This award recognises outstanding achievement in creating or enhancing a product, process, or system that effectively addresses a complex challenge. Achievements may fall within social, environmental, technological, or commercial contexts. 

To be considered for a Business and Innovation Blue, nominations must meet one of the following criteria: 

• Demonstrated excellence through the practical application of an innovative solution, supported by a letter of endorsement from a leader in the field. The panel will assess the complexity of the problem, the effectiveness and application of the solution, and its impact in a competitive or real-world setting. 
  OR 
• The nominee (individual or team) has won or placed highly in a recognised competition that tests applied knowledge or professional skills, either nationally or internationally. All achievements must be at a national or international level. The Evaluation Panel will also consider the significance of the achievement, the prestige of the platform or competition, and the calibre of participants. 

Major Awards

From all nominations, the panel will select individuals for Major Awards. The categories are:

Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year Award

Māori Major Award

Pasifika Major Award

Para-athlete Sportsperson of the Year Award

Award for the Most Meritorious Performance (Sport)

Award for the Most Meritorious Performance (Arts and Cultural)

Award for the most outstanding contribution (Service and Leadership)

Award for the Most Meritorious Innovation (Business and Innovation) 

For questions about the Blues Awards, email blues@auckland.ac.nz.