Category: University of Waikato

The University of Waikato, with support from a Ministry of Education initiative, Te Hurihanganui, has enabled a group of staff from schools in the Te Hiku far north community to participate in a new teacher education pilot.

This programme allows students to train to become qualified teachers while remaining in their local schools.

Each of the wānanga were held over weekends or in school holidays on marae around Kaitāia and were supported by iwi. Ongoing mentoring by University staff and local iwi ensured students were cared for as well as equipped with effective teaching and learning methods, especially as they relate to Māori learners.

In 2023, the University welcomed 18 students into its Bachelor of Teaching degree, a marae-based wānanga that combines distance learning with wrap-around support of school communities and local iwi.

It is hoped that these students will begin to address the shortage of qualified teachers in remote areas, particularly rural Northland.

Wiremu Wilson-Diamond, a course student, says he was thrilled he could pursue his love for teaching at Kaitāia College without having to leave behind his daughters and community.

“The opportunity the University has given our community is priceless and addresses the inequity of living up north to access services and quality education,” Wiremu says.

An experienced artist, Wiremu has been working as a guidance dean and a technology and design teacher at the College for four years under a Limited Authority to Teach certificate.

“As a 47-year-old, I would never have taken on study if the University hadn’t taken the brave steps of helping and supporting us in the far north.”

Professor Mere Berryman, the Director of Poutama Pounamu, says, “the initiative responds to the aspirations of iwi and the community’s call for support. This is local people being trained in local schools”.

Anahera Olsen, a teacher aide of five years at Kaitāia College, had always wanted to become a qualified teacher. She was part of a different online course in 2020 to pursue her teaching degree in primary education but withdrew because she didn’t have sufficient support, particularly while her tamariki were young.

“When I heard about the degree programme coming to Te Hiku, I was so grateful. I have loved every moment of my study this year,” she says.

“Our lecturers and iwi representatives were supportive and made sure we had everything we needed to succeed.”

Anahera says the series of wānanga allowed her to meet and collaborate with other future teachers and hear different perspectives.

“Being on this programme, you not only get to sit and take in kanohi ki te kanohi (face to face) with the University lecturers’ knowledge, but you also build relationships with the other students in the programme, building whanaungatanga (relationship).”

Jay Haydon-Howard, a University of Waikato facilitator for this course, believes that local schools have been very supportive of practicum placements and are keen to employ these students as full-time teachers on their graduation.

“It’s unlike any programme we have run before – we connect with them 24/7, and while there have been times of wanting to give up, we’re all supporting each other. Collective accountability and support for one another have been key to ongoing engagement and success.”

Iwi are currently interviewing a further cohort of students to participate in 2024, extending the benefits to a new cohort.. To find out more, visit the Bachelor of Teaching website.

The University of Waikato has been recognised for its high-quality teaching, learning support and student outcomes by the Academic Quality Agency as part of its Cycle 6 Academic Audit.

The University received one of its strongest ever results, achieving 19 commendations supporting the University’s strategic direction and recognising its leadership and management of teaching and learning as an area of strength.

The audit involves a self-review report reflecting on activities at the University over the past seven years and is measured against an audit framework of 30 guideline statements. The Audit Panel also conducted a site visit and interviews with 74 staff and 29 students in September this year.

The final report commended the University’s strategic framework, its commitment to using data to inform planning and reporting, its support for the diverse student body and staff professional teaching development opportunities and our mature approach to managing risks to the quality and continuity of teaching and learning.

“The results of the Cycle 6 Academic Audit are extremely pleasing, and the 19 commendations made by the Panel represent one of our best ever results. They confirm the University is delivering high-quality teaching, learning support and student outcomes underpinned by a strong strategic direction,” says Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academic, Professor Robyn Longhurst.

Along with commending the University’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic and how the University’s Treaty of Waitangi Statement underpins work across the University, the Panel recognised the Ōritetanga programme that supports the learning of all students but especially Māori and Pacific students, and the work-integrated learning programme that helps students transition into the workplace.

“It is extremely pleasing to see these key initiatives and programmes receiving recognition for the outcomes they are achieving for our students and staff,” says Professor Longhurst.

The development of The Pā and Tauranga campus were recognised as valuable additions to the teaching and learning environment and the University was also commended for its flexible approach to teaching and learning (including FLEXI papers) that has provided resilience for the University and supported accessibility for students

In total the Panel made 19 commendations, 15 affirmations and 11 recommendations supporting the strategic direction of the University.

Dr Lawrenson is working with a team of researchers from the University, medical practitioners working at the front end of health services, and community health groups. The core research is being undertaken by GP Dr Jenny Wong. Dr Wong will work with GP databases across a selection of Waikato practices to understand diagnosis rates, the time between the first presentation of symptoms, and diagnosis by age, gender and ethnicity and other metrics.

“It’s invaluable being able to get funding support from Arthritis NZ. It enables us to facilitate GPs like Dr Wong to get involved in research that helps their day-to-day practice. Building strong links between health providers, and the University results in robust research with practical outcomes that makes a difference for individual patients,” says Professor Lawrenson.

Biostatistician and Senior Research Fellow Dr Chunhuan Lao, who holds an Arthritis NZ Fellowship for research into SLE, is providing project design and statistical support. Te Whatu Ora (Waikato) Rheumatologist, Dr Douglas White, and Dr Lawrenson are specialist advisors. Associate Professor of Primary Care, Dr Rawiri Keenan, and local Waikato Māori health providers round out the team.

“We know from earlier work that Lupus nephritis is more common among Māori and Pacific Island children. It is associated with a significant incidence of end stage kidney disease and mortality, with some tamariki showing rapid disease progression,” says Dr Keenan.

Dr Lawrenson adds: “By using an equity lens we can explore whether there are differences in the diagnostic pathways, referral to specialist care and management of Māori SLE. If higher rates in Māori are evidenced by the new data, there will be other important equity questions to answer.”

The study builds upon earlier research at the University where Dr Lao worked with hospital records to identify SLE statistics. Her research showed approximately 42 people in every 100,000 have SLE in NZ. The data also showed higher rates in women, Māori, and Pacific people. Further SLE patients have a mortality rate four times that of the general population.

Dr Lao presented these findings in August 2023 at the New Zealand Rheumatology Association Annual Scientific Meeting where she was awarded the Best Presentation on Lupus.

The two-year study will provide essential information on the burden of disease from SLE and help to establish guidelines for the diagnosis and management of this chronic condition.

When the new government lodged an urgent “reservation” against adopting amendments to World Health Organization regulations, it baffled some expert observers but signalled an early win for the NZ First party.

Under the heading “Strengthening Democracy and Freedoms” in its coalition agreement with the National Party, NZ First negotiated to:

Ensure a “National Interest Test” is undertaken before New Zealand accepts any agreements from the UN and its agencies that limit national decision-making and reconfirm that New Zealand’s domestic law holds primacy over any international agreements.

Why any of this should be needed is not clear – other than to support the implication New Zealand is being dictated to by the United Nations and is not in control of its own destiny.

In fact, detailed rules and processes governing how New Zealand applies international laws and treaties already exist, as does the requirement for a national interest analysis.

It’s important to remember, too, that New Zealand participates in creating new international legal rules because some of its (or any nation’s) most pressing problems cannot be solved unilaterally.

Domestic versus international law

The need for a collective response to contagious and dangerous diseases was one of the earliest examples of global cooperation. Today, the International Health Regulations of the World Health Organization (WHO) set out how this should happen. But individual governments are primarily responsible for implementing those regulations.

The COVID pandemic has triggered the negotiation of a new WHO treaty on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response. New Zealanders can participate in the process being run by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

New Zealand governments have a long history of negotiating the wording of international treaties. They can also control the local impact of international agreements or treaties by entering “reservations”.

These mean a country will not be bound by specific parts of an agreement. This mechanism can make it more likely that countries will agree to a treaty overall, but it can also run the risk of creating different rules for different countries.

Many legal agreements have built-in mechanisms that allow for regulatory changes without requiring a formal revision of the entire treaty. The WHO’s International Health Regulations are a good example.

And ultimately, governments – including New Zealand’s – have the power to enter into, or withdraw from, any treaty.

Measuring the national interest

Of course, no government should sign up to anything not in its country’s best interests. But New Zealand has already developed clear, detailed rules governing how and to what extent international agreements become part of domestic law.

Cabinet must approve any proposal to sign or take binding action under a treaty. Significant changes in the operation of a treaty are also subject to careful oversight, with members of parliament playing an important role.

But even before such scrutiny, a treaty must undergo a “national interest analysis” (NIA), with the Cabinet Manual, parliament’s Standing Orders and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade providing guidance.

The NIA process considers the reasons for becoming a party to the treaty, the advantages and disadvantages to New Zealand, and how the treaty will be implemented. Cabinet can then authorise the signing of the final text of the agreement, thereby approving it.

Signed agreements – either multilateral or bilateral – and their NIAs then go to the House of Representatives. From there they are referred to the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee, which can look at the treaty itself or send it to a more appropriate select committee.

Affirming New Zealand sovereignty

The requirement to send the agreement and the NIA to select committee acts as a further brake. The government can’t do anything for 15 sitting days or until the select committee responds, whichever happens first.

The select committee can make recommendations, including asking for more time to examine the treaty and the NIA, and seek public submissions. The government has 60 working days to respond to the select committee’s recommendations.

It’s also open to MPs to debate the treaty. While the government may decide no action is required,  sometimes the proposed new treaty obligation means new laws are needed, or existing ones amended or repealed.

New or changed laws give a government and parliament plenty of scope to influence if and how a treaty forms part of domestic law.

After these international and domestic processes are concluded, ratification can take place. Formal documents confirm that domestic procedures have been completed and the treaty is in force, along with any reservations that have been adopted.

The entire process affirms New Zealand’s sovereignty.

New Zealand has always been an active global citizen. It is party to over 1,900 treaties with multiple countries.

From direct participation in the formation of new agreements, through to assessing their impact, New Zealand has robust systems in place – all of which confirm domestic law holds primacy over any international agreements.

Claire Breen, Professor of Law, University of Waikato and Alexander Gillespie, Professor of Law, University of Waikato

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

University of Waikato climate scientist Dr Luke Harrington has scooped two awards that recognise his growing reputation in climate change research.

Dr Harrington has been awarded the Hamilton City Council Emerging Scientist Award at the Kudos Science Trust 2023 Awards. He has also been awarded the prestigious Edward Kidson Medal by the New Zealand Meteorological Society, and he’s leading three other recent grants that will support environmental resilience in the face of climate change.

The Edward Kidson Medal recognises a scientist who has made a significant contribution that has advanced the science of meteorology and/or climatology.

Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research, Professor Karin Bryan said the awards are a fantastic validation of Dr Harrington’s research.

“We’re excited our students can learn from the expertise and passion of an emerging leader in climate change research, especially those working towards the world first Bachelor of Climate Change degree at the University.”

Of the wins, Dr Harrington said “It’s nice to have the recognition of my peers for some of the research we’ve published, though I’m almost always working with a team of fantastic collaborators. It’s only through these partnerships that we come up with insights which can help decision makers in the real world.”

A Senior Lecturer in Climate Change, Dr Harrington leads the Climate Extremes and Societal Impacts (CLESI) research group at the University.

He says, “We’re looking at extreme weather events, their impacts on society and the role of anthropogenic climate change – all with a view to better prepare New Zealanders for the ongoing impacts of climate change.”

Dr Harrington and CLESI are working on three recently funded complementary research programmes focussed on building the resilience of our environment and homes to extreme weather events. They’re actively seeking postgraduate students to work on the programmes:

Dr Harrington is further collaborating on work to help communities and organisations, both in Aotearoa and globally, adapt to worsening extreme weather events. He’s involved with multiple projects working to understand the health risks associated with extreme heat in Aotearoa.

Internationally, he is working with other researchers to assess how worsening climate hazards can disproportionately affect some of the world’s poorest communities, offering insight into the losses and damages from climate change that are already being experienced.

Rapidly growing ethnic communities are projected to be about 30% of the population of Aotearoa New Zealand by 2043.So, how can we engage with these communities to be part of a new pluralistic citizenship model? A trans-disciplinary research project is kicking off in the New Year, undertaken by three professors from the University of Waikato, intending to design an inclusive and holistic citizenship model guided by the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

University of Waikato Professors Debashish Munshi, Priya Kurian, and Sandy Morrison (Ngāti Whakaue, Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Rārua) will, over the course of a three-year research project, explore ways of practising democracy that embrace the diverse ethnic communities of Aotearoa New Zealand under an overarching commitment to Te Tiriti. The team have recently received a prestigious Marsden grant from the Royal Society Te Apārangi to support their endeavours.

Professor Kurian, a political scientist, says that despite ethnic communities being present in New Zealand for most of its history, they are often forgotten in policy discussions.

“Ethnic communities, whose backgrounds often also include histories of being colonised, and who have been in New Zealand from the late 18th century, have remained largely invisible in policy discussions,” she says.

Professor Munshi, who researches at the intersections of sustainability, social change, and citizenship, says the research will explore the rights and responsibilities of ethnic communities in upholding Te Tiriti and the obligations of the Crown to ethnic minorities under Te Tiriti.

“Our project will examine how a Tiriti-centred, distinctly Aotearoa notion of ‘sustainable citizenship’ can offer a pathway to an inclusive and equitable society for all,” he says.

The project acknowledges Māori as tangata whenua and seeks to centre Te Tiriti in formulating a policy framework that goes beyond the usual discussions around biculturalism and multiculturalism.

Te Tiriti expert Professor Morrison says that the project will be informed by kaupapa Māori principles of manaakitanga and whanaungatanga.

“Our aim is to design an inclusive and holistic model of citizenship that centres mātauranga and contributes to the hauora/oranga (health and wellbeing) of the nation,” she says.

The research project entitled “He Rau Ringa: Engaging ethnic communities in a Tiriti o Waitangi-centred framework of sustainable citizenship” will begin in February 2024.