The school was founded in 1878, formerly known as Canterbury Agricultural College (university diplomas and degrees awarded to New Zealand universities).
Lincoln University is one of the oldest universities in New Zealand, one of the eight famous universities in New Zealand and a world-famous agricultural university. It was rated as a five-star university in the world by QS.
The school is the only university in New Zealand and one of the few universities in the world that focuses on "land", closely focusing on New Zealand's national pillar industries, development strategies and economic and social development needs.
The school is also a world-famous agricultural university, the first university in the southern hemisphere to offer agricultural courses and the first university to offer landscape architecture.
It is also the first scientific research institution to study grape cultivation and wine-making in cool climate, and the only land university in New Zealand, enjoying a high reputation in agriculture and forestry research.