The year is underway at the Bay of Plenty Polytechnic with a morning powhiri to greet the about 1500 students attending.

The powhiri held at the polytechnic's Windermere campus is the biggest one yet held by the tertiary education provider, says its communications manager Maggie Hope.

About 1500 students attended this morning's opening of the Bay of Plenty Polytechnic.

It marks the start of the year for the polytechnic that this year has 3000 full time equivalent students attending.

This is less than last year, with Maggie attributing the reduction to funding cuts causing the ending of some courses such as community computing.

This year's term calendar is changed with it mirroring the secondary school year. The secondary school term dates changed to allow for engagement in the Rugby World Cup. This has meant the Bay of Plenty Polytechnic is open one week earlier than normal, with it originally scheduled for February 21.

Polytechnic site coordinator Brent Hatton says there are no traffic problems around the Windermere campus as were experienced on last year's first day.

Maggie says it's important the polytechnic calendar matches the school one so that mature students with children are able to cope with school holidays.

There is a second powhiri being held this afternoon for the Bongard Centre campus of the polytechnic.