Te Kupenga - Catholic Leadership Institute

What Te Kupenga - Catholic Leadership Institute does

Te Kupenga - Catholic Leadership Institute is a New Zealand tertiary education provider and the sole NZQA-approved source of Catholic theological, ministry, and religious education qualifications in the country. Established on 1 January 2020 through the merger of Good Shepherd College and the Catholic Institute of Aotearoa New Zealand, it is wholly owned by the six diocesan Bishops of New Zealand acting as Trustees and operates through three national agencies: Catholic Theological College (CTC), the National Centre for Religious Studies (NCRS), and the Nathaniel Centre for Bioethics. The institution serves Catholic clergy, seminarians, lay ministers, religious education teachers in Catholic schools, and adult faith formation seekers.

The product portfolio spans NZQA Level 5 Certificates in Christian Studies, Level 6 Diplomas in Christian Studies, a Level 7 Bachelor of Divinity (delivered under University of Notre Dame Australia and Catholic Institute of Sydney curricula), a Level 7 Graduate Diploma in Theology, and short-cycle offerings including a Management of Church Organisations micro-credential ($393) and a Safeguarding course ($150) developed with the National Office for Professional Standards. Programs are delivered face-to-face across six diocesan locations (Auckland, Hamilton, Palmerston North, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin) and nationwide via distance learning on Canvas and Blackboard LMS, supported by the century-old Colin Library.

The revenue model is tuition-based per paper ($419 to $887 NZD depending on level), supplemented by micro-credential fees, with revenue also channeled through NZ Government fees-free programs, StudyLink student loans, and diocesan sponsorship for international students. The institution employs 34 permanent staff plus approximately 20 sessional lecturers and contractors, operates from a headquarters at St Columba Centre in Ponsonby, Auckland, and serves an addressable Catholic community of over 470,000 across 237 Catholic schools. The 2025 graduating cohort comprised 58 students.

Name

Te Kupenga - Catholic Leadership Institute

Legal name

Te Kupenga - Catholic Leadership Institute

Website

https://tekupenga.ac.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Te Kupenga - Catholic Leadership Institute is a New Zealand Catholic tertiary education provider, owned by the six diocesan Bishops, that delivers NZQA-approved theology and ministry qualifications through three agencies (CTC, NCRS, Nathaniel Centre) to clergy, seminarians, Catholic school teachers, and lay ministers nationwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Theological Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131), Religious Organizations (8131)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Denominational Theological Colleges (e.g., Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, Evangelical) (EDAHAKAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Faith-Based Education & Formation (Seminaries, Religious Schools, Catechesis) (BPAGAJAD), Seminaries (Graduate Theology & Ministry) (EDAHAKAA), Ministerial Training Institutes (Clergy Formation) (EDAHAKAE)

Keywords

• Theological education
• Religious education
• Ministry formation
• Seminary training
• Tertiary qualifications

Headquarters

HQ city

Auckland

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Tuition Fees - Level 7 Degrees: Revenue from Bachelor of Divinity and Graduate Diploma in Theology programmes. Full papers at $887 for NZ citizens, $915 for international students. Half papers at $443/$457 respectively. Non-refundable $100 enrollment deposit per semester.
2. Tuition Fees - Level 5 Certificates: NZ Certificate in Christian Studies at $419 per paper plus $21.20 admin fee. 10-credit papers for Christian Ministry strand.
3. Tuition Fees - Level 6 Diplomas: NZ Diploma in Christian Studies (Christian Leadership, Pastoral Ministry, Religious Education strands) at $630 per paper plus $21.20 admin fee.
4. Micro-credential Fees: Management of Church Organisations micro-credential at $393 for 9-credit course.
5. Safeguarding Course Fees: Safeguarding in the Catholic Church in Aotearoa New Zealand course at $150.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Te Kupenga is the sole NZQA-approved provider of Catholic theological, ministry, and religious education qualifications in New Zealand, delivering a portfolio of Level 5 to Level 7 programmes (Bachelor of Divinity, Graduate Diploma in Theology, NZ Diploma and Certificate in Christian Studies) plus micro-credentials and safeguarding training. Programmes are delivered face-to-face, by distance, and online across six diocesan centres through Catholic Theological College, with formation and bioethics support from the National Centre for Religious Studies and the Nathaniel Centre for Bioethics.

Product overview

Te Kupenga - Catholic Leadership Institute is a tertiary education provider offering a portfolio of theological and religious education programs through three operating entities: Catholic Theological College (CTC), National Centre for Religious Studies (NCRS), and Nathaniel Centre for Bioethics. CTC serves as the sole provider of Catholic theological, ministry, and religious education qualifications in New Zealand, delivering programs via the University of Notre Dame Australia's curriculum in partnership with the Catholic Institute of Sydney. The product portfolio includes Level 5 Certificates (New Zealand Certificate in Christian Studies with Christian Ministry and Religious Education strands), Level 6 Diplomas (New Zealand Diploma in Christian Studies with Christian Leadership, Pastoral Ministry, and Religious Education strands), Level 7 Bachelor of Divinity, Level 7 Graduate Diploma in Theology, plus micro-credentials (Management of Church Organisations) and the Safeguarding course. Programs are delivered face-to-face, online, and via distance learning across multiple NZ dioceses.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bachelor of Divinity A three-year full-time Level 7 degree (360 credits) for students preparing for ministry or further theological study, with majors in Dogmatic Theology or Sacred Scripture, delivered through the University of Notre Dame Australia's curriculum in partnership with Catholic Institute of Sydney.
• Graduate Diploma in Theology A one-year full-time Level 7 qualification (120 credits / 8 papers) for students who already hold a degree, awarded by Te Kupenga Catholic Theological College with papers through the UNDA curriculum.
• New Zealand Diploma in Christian Studies A Level 6 qualification (120 credits) offered in three strands — Christian Leadership, Pastoral Ministry, and Religious Education — typically completed part-time over up to four years across diocesan locations.
• New Zealand Certificate in Christian Studies A Level 5 qualification offered in two strands — Christian Ministry (60 credits) and Religious Education (80 credits) — approved for student loans by StudyLink and delivered across diocesan locations.
• Management of Church Organisations (Micro-credential) A Level 6 micro-credential (9 credits) providing leadership and management training for faith-based organisations, completed over 6 weeks via distance/online or on-campus at St Columba Centre, Ponsonby Auckland, with a $393 fee.
• Safeguarding in the Catholic Church in Aotearoa New Zealand An online three-month part-time course for people in paid or voluntary ministry roles to foster a culture of safeguarding, costing $150, developed with the National Office for Professional Standards.

Quantifiable outcome

• 58 students graduated in 2025

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• University of Notre Dame Australia (UNDA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBachelor of Divinity degree delivered through UNDA's curriculum in partnership with Catholic Institute of Sydney. Graduates receive a degree from UNDA as well as NZQA-recognised qualification. The Graduate Diploma in Theology also uses UNDA curriculum.
• Catholic Institute of Sydney (CIS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner institution in delivering Bachelor of Divinity and Graduate Diploma programmes. CIS presents Recognition of Prior Learning applications to their Student Support and Administration Committee for credit decisions.
• National Office for Professional Standards (NOPS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTe Kupenga teaches the Safeguarding in the Catholic Church course in partnership with NOPS. NOPS wrote the course content as part of the NZ Catholic Bishops' commitment to fostering a culture of safeguarding in the Church.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Australian Catholic University: Large Catholic higher education institution offering theology and ministry programmes across Australia - a broader incumbent in the same denominational tertiary space though operating on a much larger scale.
• Australian College of Theology: Provider network of theological higher education across Australia and NZ, offering accredited credentials through affiliated colleges - a broad incumbent in the regional tertiary theological ecosystem.
• University of Notre Dame Australia: Australia-based Catholic university providing degree curricula and qualifications for Te Kupenga's Level 7 programmes. Functions as an upstream incumbent whose accreditation underwrites Te Kupenga's highest-value offerings.
• University of Otago - Department of Theology: Public NZ university's theology department offering BA, Honours, and postgraduate programmes in theology and religious studies - a broader incumbent providing secular tertiary pathways adjacent to Te Kupenga's ecclesiastical credentials.

Direct peers

• Laidlaw College: New Zealand-based theological college delivering NZQA-approved tertiary qualifications (Certificate through to Master's) for Christian ministry - a direct domestic competitor in faith-based tertiary education.
• Catholic Institute of Sydney: Direct peer and core partner delivering Bachelor of Divinity and Graduate Diploma through UNDA curriculum. Operates in the same Catholic tertiary theological space and shares Recognition of Prior Learning pathways with Te Kupenga.
• Bible College of New Zealand: NZ-based evangelical theological college offering certificate, diploma, and degree programmes in Christian ministry - a direct peer in the theological education space though denominationally distinct from Catholic.

Emerging players

• St John's College Auckland: Anglican theological college in NZ providing tertiary qualifications including diploma and degree programmes for ministry formation - a niche denominational theological peer serving overlapping adult formation needs.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/TeKupengaNZ
• Facebookfacebook.com/TeKupengaCTC
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tekupenga
• Instagraminstagram.com/tekupenga_ctc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Te Kupenga - Catholic Leadership Institute