Category: Tertiary Sector

Education New Zealand Director of Engagement, East Asia and India, Jugnu Roy says the University of Waikato’s participation at the conference marks a significant stride in strengthening educational ties with India.

“As one of New Zealand’s leading institutions for teaching and research, this initiative underscores the shared commitment of the University and Education New Zealand to fostering global cooperation and networks in the domain of SDGs,” says Roy.

Since Professor Quigley was appointed as Vice-Chancellor in 2015, he has led substantial change designed to improve the University of Waikato’s quality of teaching and research, leading to growth in student enrolments and a ranking within the world’s top 250 universities.

A group of University of Waikato academics have been working with the Waipā District Council and community on a spatial plan that will shape the future of the district.

Environmental Planning Lecturer Dr Christina Hanna and Political Science and Public Policy Senior Lecturers Dr Patrick Barrett and Professor Priya Kurian were commissioned as project partners by the strategy team at the Waipā District Council to help support the development of the Ahu Ake – Waipā Community Spatial Plan.

The Council has been working with its communities since 2020 to develop a spatial plan for the district. In 2023 it conducted its first World Cafe, with the support of University partners.

Dr Hanna says the spatial plan will help the Council prioritise where and how they invest and plan for the future, in a way that reflects the diverse aspirations of the people in the district.

“This is a new approach to community engagement, operating beyond the standard processes for New Zealand local government,” says Dr Hanna.

The World Cafe approach brings together a group of people to discuss topics and generate ideas. The workshops were a way of focusing on community priorities such as housing and placemaking, economic development, parks and public facilities, and heritage, arts and culture.

Involving Waikato academics in the community engagement strengthens the plan’s process and legitimacy, offering the Council an independent support and advisory team.

“This project has been an excellent opportunity for us to support local democratic processes and to undertake empirical research on innovative community engagement practices,” says Dr Hanna, an expert in resource management and climate change adaptation at the University.

Waipā District Council Group Manager Strategy Kirsty Downey says partnering with the University and having the input and expertise of academic staff provides elected members and staff with confidence.

“It ensured council that the processes followed were robust and reflected best practice, and the outcomes would enhance the effectiveness of Ahu Ake and the wellbeing of our Waipā communities,” says Downey.

Ahu Ake will undergo a final round of consultation and decision-making before it becomes a living and working plan in 2024. The project will provide valuable lessons for local and international governments and communities.

The University of Waikato has appointed Professor Rhiannon Braund to head its new Master of Pharmacy Practice degree, set to launch in 2025.

Professor Braund is currently the Director of the New Zealand Pharmacovigilance Centre, at the University of Otago. She will join the University of Waikato on 1 May.

She has over 20 years of experience in the pharmacy sector and is currently President and Fellow of the Pharmaceutical Society of New Zealand and Deputy Chair of the Pharmacology and Therapeutics Advisory Committee for Pharmac. She holds a BSc, BPharm and PhD, all from the University of Otago.

The appointment follows the University’s announcement in September that work is underway on a new two-year graduate entry pharmacy programme, in direct response to stakeholder requests to address the chronic shortage of pharmacists in the region.

Professor Braund says to be able to help, develop and grow a new programme in something that will not only add value to pharmacy but also to patients, is what drew her to Waikato.

“We’ve got some significant workforce shortages in the industry and I’m a big believer that you can’t keep doing the same things and expect a different outcome. We’ve got to do something different to really increase our pipeline of pharmacists,” she says.

Dean of Health, Professor Jo Lane, is delighted with the appointment and believes that Professor Braund is the ideal candidate to lead the establishment of an innovative new model of pharmacy education in Aotearoa.

“Professor Braund is a prominent leader within the New Zealand pharmacy community. She is a national Tertiary Teaching Excellence Award winner and recipient of the Prime Minister’s Supreme Award for Excellence in Tertiary Teaching with a strong research track record that aligns with our commitment to achieving better and fairer health outcomes in Aotearoa.”

The new programme is an accelerated pathway to becoming a pharmacist, for students with a bachelor’s degree with a major in one of the molecular sciences, such as biochemistry, biomedical science, chemistry, molecular biology, or pharmacology.

“To me, that’s really where the advantages are – this isn’t about taking from a pipeline that’s already dwindling, this is adding on another big pipeline to the system,” Professor Braund says.

Her passion is the advancement of pharmacy practice, with a particular interest in primary care and making sure people can access and use what they need safely and effectively. Her research aims to understand current practice and provide evidence for the developing roles that pharmacists have.

Developments of the new Master of Pharmacy Practice degree are well underway, with the first cohort expected to begin in February 2025. Those who want to express their interest in this new programme can register their details here.

One of the most perplexing yet poorly understood aspects of the international diplomatic response to the ongoing Gaza conflict has been the overwhelmingly pro-Israel orientation of Pacific Island states.

During the voting on two United Nations resolutions (October 27th and December 12th) calling on Israel to reduce the death and suffering of Palestinian civilians, many Pacific countries voted either against the resolution or abstained.

Why would these small island countries, on the other side of the world and with no direct links to Israel, choose to either oppose or not support this essential humanitarian gesture?

Explanations of this anomaly have rightly placed emphasis upon the intensely Christian character of Pacific societies.

Adherence rates in most Pacific countries sit above 90%. Across the region, Israel and Judaism are exalted as the sacred foundations of their faith. Governments drawn from these societies duplicate these views, which are then borne out in international forums such as the UN.

Such an analysis is not wrong, but it might be obscuring other factors that contribute to staunch support for Israel. If the breadth and strength of Christian faith was the basis for supporting Israel, why then did other fervently Christian nations such as Brazil or Nigeria support the resolutions?

The role of kinship in the Pacific Islands

There is one hugely important characteristic of the region’s culture that has been overlooked: kinship.

Kinship is fundamentally about a sense of togetherness. It may be created either biologically, through processes like parenthood, inheritance and so forth, or culturally, through marriage or adoption. Ultimately what it refers to is how and why people are related to each other.

The centrality of family, relatedness, blood and descent for Pacific society cannot be overstated. Kinship is the machinery of the region’s societies, the gears, levers and pulleys by which all communities function.

Of crucial importance in this respect is that kinship and family dictate and regulate access to all manner of material benefits, from marriage through to the benefits of economic development projects. If you can convincingly argue that your ancestors dwelt in or were even physically a part of a given territory, then you establish access to the relevant benefits.

Kinship is not simply a matter of who is related to who and who came from where. It is something thoroughly pragmatic and instrumental, a social charter for who gets what. As such, it follows that these structures warp and bend to fit novel scenarios.

Linking kinship and geopolitics

How can this Pacific cultural strategy help us understand the region’s geopolitical leanings?

First, we need to return to the basics of the Christian faith. It is not an overstatement to say that the ultimate goal of all Christians is to enter heaven.

A second crucial point is that the Bible explicitly mentions in several places that the Jews are God’s chosen people, and that they enjoy this privileged status by virtue of their genealogical descent from the ancient Israelites.

Such an arrangement makes perfect sense for Pacific peoples, whose entire ways of life are built on gaining benefits through family and kinship.

It should come as little surprise, then, that a common strategy adopted across the region in order to close the distance between themselves and the chosen people of God has been to accommodate them within local kinship networks. It is an ancient technique now applied on a fully global scale.

Just as various Pacific communities produce ancestral narratives that describe claims to different types of wealth, so too have they created family stories that position them squarely within the sphere of Christian sacredness.

Belief and diplomacy

In a variety of ways, people have woven Jewish people, their sacred geography, and the state of Israel, into their own kinship networks.

This may occur directly, as communities assert membership of the ten lost tribes of Israel. Various passages in the Bible describe the expulsion and resettlement of ancient groups by the then dominant Assyrian kingdom.

Jewish and Christian theologians later deduced that these exiled groups were still out in the world somewhere and had given rise to a range of populations. This theory became popular across the Euro-American Christian world in the 20th century.

It appears that this idea eventually found its way into the Pacific, especially Melanesia, where local people now advance the claim they have descended from these dispersed tribes, a strategy designed to ensure their salvation.

The kinship connection may also occur indirectly, through expressions of spiritual affinities with Jewish people. In any case, it is in a truly Pacific manner that kinship networks have opened and then closed around those things they wish to extract value from.

Since the politicians of the Pacific are drawn from populations that created familial intimacy with Israel and the Jewish people, it is inevitable these biases unfold in their diplomatic decision making.

It is worth noting, too, that recent promises of substantial aid money from the United States – Israel’s strongest ally – have likely strengthened this attitude.

But it is not clear whether this stance is permanent. We will have to wait and see whether religion continues to trump ethical considerations, as wider international support for Israel slowly erodes in the face of the disaster taking place.

Fraser Macdonald, Senior Lecturer in Anthropology, University of Waikato

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

When the previous government released the first ever national security strategy last year, it forecast stormy geopolitical weather ahead. In the brief few months since then, the sky has darkened further still.

Beyond a slight rapprochement between China and the United States at the end of 2023, arms control remains poor, measures to prevent accidental war limited, and a genuinely rule-based international order patchy at best.

British foreign secretary David Cameron may have been speaking to his own government’s agenda when he said the “lights are absolutely flashing red on the global dashboard”. But the analogy still holds.

Three big issues are now rising to the boil: the war in Ukraine, tension in the South China Sea, and the widening disaster in Israel and Gaza. Each instance of global disorder touches Aotearoa New Zealand and its largely untested coalition government.

Ukraine in the balance

While New Zealand has not joined the fighting, it is not neutral on Ukraine. It has provided weapons, training and other forms of assistance – including joining actions against Russia at the International Court of Justice.

But the prognosis is not good. Russia’s military counterpunch is coming while external support for Ukraine is at risk of fading.

Defence officials in Sweden have warned their country should prepare for the possibility of conflict. A leaked plan from the German government shows it is also preparing for potential widening Russian aggression.

As a partner to NATO, New Zealand needs to consider its response should the tide of war turn against Ukraine – or worse still, spreads to other countries.

US-China standoff

New Zealand has said it is “deeply concerned” about China’s tactics over the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea. Of particular concern have been Chinese efforts to stop Philippine vessels resupplying citizens in the islands (to which the Philippines has sovereign rights).

The Permanent Court of Arbitration has affirmed Philippine claims to its territories. Although China opposes the court decision, a clear majority – including New Zealand – either positively acknowledge or support the ruling.

New Zealand also asserts “there is no legal basis for states to claim ‘historic rights’ with respect to maritime areas in the South China Sea”.

Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden last year promised to defend the Philippines should China attack. The region – where the Chinese navy confronted a New Zealand frigate during a freedom of navigation exercise last year – remains a raw nerve.

Widening Middle East threats

The situation in Israel and Gaza is a legal, political and ethical mess that risks spilling over. New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has already joined Australia and Canada to reiterate the need for a negotiated two-state solution and the importance of respecting international law.

However, there has so far been no mention of accountability for war crimes through the International Court of Justice or the International Criminal Court.

New Zealand’s focus has shifted to the protection of global waterways, specifically the Red Sea. With nine other countries, it has pledged to defend lives and protect the free flow of commerce in one of the world’s most critical waterways.

New Zealand has not been involved in the first military actions against Houthi rebels trying to control the sea lanes. But if things escalate, the coalition government has effectively signed up to fight a proxy group directly connected to an angry and dangerous Iran.

Increasing military spending

To meet these challenges at a practical and logistical level, New Zealand will need to invest more in its military. While the new government wants to control spending, it would be prudent to increase defence spending to at least 2% of GDP to match various allies.

It makes sense for New Zealand to focus on inter-operability and shared spending on common military platforms with its one official ally, Australia.

New Zealand can still maintain its nuclear-free policy and work for arms control while improving its own self-defence. It does not need the offensive capacity of the next generation of armaments (from AI and cyber capabilities to bioweapons), but it must have access to defences against them.

At the same time, self-defence need not be linked to new alliances such as the AUKUS security pact. The security issues outlined here are separate, not part of one large fire. China, North Korea, Russia and Iran are close. But they are not connected by mutual military obligations.

Independence and self-defence

It might make more sense for New Zealand to join agreements like AUKUS if other like-minded countries (such as Canada, South Korea and Japan) joined at the same time.

But this might also create problems. First, it could accelerate a divide of the world into two large blocs. And second, without the kind of trade agreements with the US that other partners enjoy, New Zealand would be more exposed than most.

An independent foreign policy where each issue is treated on its own merits should still be the preferred approach. There is much to be said for working with countries which have shared values and common histories.

At the moment, some challenges warrant New Zealand’s involvement, but others do not. Defending the values and agreements that underpin the United Nations and a rule-based international order is the best guide.

Simply to follow the US, come-what-may, is a dangerous bet, especially given the uncertainties around the presidential election in November. At the same time, not to be better militarily prepared is a utopian position New Zealand can no longer afford.

Alexander Gillespie, Professor of Law, University of Waikato

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

The early days

Waikato legacy

Beyond academia

Projects and accolades

Three University of Waikato alumni and a former staff member have been recognised for their achievements in the 2024 New Year Honours List.

Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit 

Rt Hon Trevor Mallard was named a Knight Companion for services as a Member of Parliament and as Speaker of the House of Representatives. Sir Trevor was first elected to Parliament as the Member for Hamilton West in 1984. He was appointed to Cabinet in 1999 and held many ministerial portfolios throughout his 35-year career before retiring from politics in 2022. Sir Trevor graduated from the University of Waikato with a Certificate in Continuing Education in 1985.

Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit

Tania Te Rangingangana Simpson (Ngāti Maniapoto,Ngā Puhi, Ngāi Tahu), who received a Distinguished Alumni Award from the University in 2020, was recognised for services to governance and Māori. With over 27 years’ experience in governance, Ms Simpson has dedicated her career to projects improving outcomes for Māori, iwi development and integrating Māori practice into business. Graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in 1987, Ms Simpson has been a catalyst for positive changes in roles focused on the environment, sustainability and climate change.

Queen’s Service Medal 

Karen Ngatai graduated with a Graduate Diploma in Tourism Management in 2006 and was recognised for services to the community. Ms Ngatai has been an elected representative on the Ruapehu District Council for 18 years, including five years as Deputy Mayor.

New Zealand Antarctic Medal 

Dr Megan Balks, a former staff member and alumna of the University, was recognised for her services to Antarctic soil science. With a career that began in 1990, Dr Balks is now one of New Zealand’s leading soil scientists, contributing significantly to Antarctic soil research. Dr Balks was a Lecturer in Earth Science in the School of Science from 1988 to 2018, and completed her PhD in Earth Science during this time, graduating in 1995. She supported 10 graduate students in Antarctic soil research along with over 40 others on New Zealand-related projects.

Several University of Waikato staff were awarded a prestigious fellowship from The Royal Society Te Apārangi, supporting early and mid-career Māori and Pacific STEM researchers.

Dr Mitchell Head (Tainui; Ngāti Mahuta, Ngāti Naho), Dr Siuta Laulaupea’alu and Dr Kim Southey (Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Kuia) received the Ngā Puanga Pūtaiao Fellowships and will receive funding over the next four years for their research projects.

Dr Head’s research, ‘Ngā waiata o te wairoro’, focuses on developing the next generation of neurotechnology to measure and stimulate the brain in real time.

This technology has potential applications from athletic performance to non-pharmaceutical mental health treatment.

Dr Te Taka Keegan (Waikato-Maniapoto, Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Whakaue) co-chaired this year’s assessment panel.

“This award highlights the important work post-doctoral Māori and Pacific researchers are doing at the University. They provide opportunities and avenues for building a career foundation,” says Dr Keegan.

Professor Mike Duke, Dean of the School of Engineering, says the accreditation underscores the quality of the education that students can expect to receive and the calibre of graduates that the industry can expect to see.

“We are thrilled with the outcomes of the accreditation process. It reflects our ongoing dedication to providing students with world-class engineering education that prepares them for success on the global stage.”

The Civil Engineering and Environmental Engineering programmes have received accreditation for the first time. Dr Megan Boston, Programme Leader for Civil Engineering says:

“Achieving full accreditation is a testament to the expertise of our academic staff and commitment to delivering exceptional education in civil engineering.”

Dr Graeme Glasgow, Programme Leader for Environmental Engineering, said the programme “features industry placements to prepare students for the workplace. These opportunities provide training across this important field of study across water treatment, solid waste management and sustainable energy systems to address national and international challenges.”

Two newly established degrees, Electrical and Electronic Engineering and Mechatronics Engineering, have been provisionally accredited. This is the first stage in the process and will be eligible for full accreditation in 2025.

Mechanical Engineering, Chemical and Biological Engineering, Software Engineering and Materials and Processing Engineering programmes retained their accreditation status.