Monday, 31 May 2010

As we move forward with our ambitious international agenda, we are mindful of the need to continue to measure our performance against the best in the world.

One way to do this is to forge bonds with other high-quality universities around the world.

As well as institutional administrative benefits, we can gain from new teaching and research links and our students have new chances to study abroad learning directly from some of the best in their fields and gaining skills necessary to contribute to the global community.

To extend our global standing in Teaching and Research and our desire to maintain a high-quality student experience, we have recently finalised the details for our University’s entry as a foundation member of a new international network of high-quality universities across seven nations.

The Matariki Network of Universities is aptly named: Matariki is Maori for the group of stars called the Pleiades, which are also known as the Seven Sisters. The seven-strong group comprises leading research-intensive universities which pride themselves on the quality of the student experience.

Joining us are some of the oldest institutions in their respective countries:

  • Dartmouth College (New Hampshire, USA; est.1769)
  • Durham University (England; est.1832)
  • Eberhard Karls University of Tubingen (Germany; est.1477)
  • Queen’s University (Canada; est.1841)
  • University of Otago (New Zealand; est. 1869)
  • Uppsala University (Sweden; est.1477).

This select group is recognised for internationally excellent practice in teaching and learning. These universities encourage their students to live on and around campus to enrich their experience of student life and learning. Each focuses on a rounded education which is researchled and encourages inter-disciplinarity with a full subject base across the sciences, social sciences and humanities, and a mix of postgraduate and undergraduate students.

This network will complement our current direction in broadening the education of our students with a range of new courses to add breadth and depth and to enhance critical thinking, research and communication skills.

Our Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Professor Bill Louden, earlier this year attended the inaugural meeting of the Matariki Network in the UK and discussed a program of activities including exchange programs for academics, students and administrative staff, research networks, visiting fellowships, joint postgraduate programs and collaboration on major international projects, as well as social responsibility projects, and cultural and sporting activities.

This new network – along with our current involvement with the Worldwide Universities Network (WUN) – will continue to help us as we pursue our bold ambition of becoming one of the world’s top 50 universities by 2050.

-Vice-Chancellor Alan Robson

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