The University of Otago is one of the two major research institutions in New Zealand (reported by the Ministry of Science and Technology in 2006) and ranked first in the research category in New Zealand (evaluated by the Research Achievement Foundation in 2006). In the professional rankings of New Zealand universities, Otago University has the largest number of majors: biomedicine, clinical medicine, earth science, economics, education, English language and culture, history and classics, law, philosophy, public health, religious studies and theology, and sports and sports science. Among them, the medical field is famous all over the world.

Most research topics of Otago University focus on health sciences, including: asthma and respiratory disorders, cardiovascular endocrinology, functional genomics, gene expression and protein genomics, basic diseases and immune protection of immunology, structure and function of nervous system, oral microbiology and dental health, oxidative stress of health and diseases, public health, preparations and administration, and virology. Many of these research projects are at the leading level in the world.

Otago University attracts many outstanding students from home and abroad with its good academic reputation and remarkable scientific research advantages. Otago University also maintains extensive and in-depth academic and student exchanges with many well-known universities in Asia, Europe and America.