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The body of a student has been found at a New Zealand university, up to two months after he died.

The remains were discovered at the University of Canterbury, in the city of Christchurch, after other residents noticed a smell coming from his room.

The victim has not been named. But because of the length of time the body was in the room, a police Disaster Victim Identification team was needed to identify him, .

The cause of death remains unclear.

The university said it was "devastated" by the death of the first-year student.

"Despite the comprehensive pastoral care programmes in place, for us it is inconceivable to imagine how these circumstances could have occurred," Vice-Chancellor Cheryl de la Rey said in a statement.

The incident is being examined by a coroner.

New Zealand's Education Minister Chris Hipkins said he "expects the university to conduct a thorough investigation".

"If you're going into a hall of residence or hostel you're paying a top dollar for not just a roof over your head but also for the pastoral care that goes with that. I think that clearly that has not been present in this case."