The Ara Institute of Canterbury, formerly the Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology (CPIT), is an institute of technology in Christchurch, New Zealand. It provides full- and part-time education in technologies and trades. Ara has a student population from more than 50 countries. Ara Institute of Canterbury is the largest Institute of Applied Sciences in the South Island (25,000 students) and one of the leading institutions of its kind in the country. Ara is the largest polytechnic and institute of technology in the South Island.