Waikato University visit strengthens NU-WU partnership

Wednesday, 2 November 2022

Kia Ora ... you may start to hear this phrase a lot more as our ties with the University of Waikato strengthen.

A large group of delegates from Waikato University and the University of Newcastle are grouped standing for a photo
Delegates from Waikato University and the University of Newcastle

Eleven delegates from Waikato toured our University last week, in a return visit following our trip across the ditch in July. During that visit, the two universities signed a Memorandum of Understanding to increase engagement across research, teaching and student initiatives.

The University of Waikato is located in Hamilton, on the North Island, and has 13,000 students and 1500 staff. Of their students, 20% are of Māori descent and 5% Pacific Islander.

With a jam-packed schedule, the visit began with a song in Ngiyampaa language performed by Ngiyampaa/Wiradjuri PhD candidate, Jesse Hodgetts, who was supported by students and staff of the Wollotuka Institute. It was followed by a touching ceremony and acknowledgement and prayer by Wollotuka Director, Associate Professor Kath Butler, and her Ma & Morley alumni daughter Phoebe Mcllwraith.

In a moving display, the Waikato delegates responded with a personalised message in Māori language.

PVC Indigenous Strategy and Leadership Nathan Towney, was very excited to host our New Zealand guests and showcase our own wealth of history.

“It was a great privilege to be able to have our Waikato brothers and sisters join us this week and be able to reciprocate the warm welcome we were given earlier this year.

“Being on country and on campus was a great opportunity to exchange and share language, stories and culture," Mr. Towney said.

Invited guests included Wayne Cook, Deputy Chair Barang Regional Alliance and the Darkinjung Local Aboriginal Land Council Chairperson BJ Duncan.

The purpose of the visit was many-fold; to foster good relationships between the universities with the aim of creating a culture of collaboration and relationships, discuss and develop a strategic partnership including education (mobility programs), research and engagement opportunities with a focus on Indigenous collaboration and to showcase our leading research and facilities, including the development of a medical school at Waikato.

Commenting on this, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Global Engagement and Partnerships Professor Kent Anderson, said our global reach expands through partnerships.

"A strategic partnership with University of Waikato in New Zealand contributes to that innovatively as the first Oz-NZ high profile partnership.

"The NU-WU partnership will be Indigenous led, bringing together the two universities educating the most Indigenous students in each country.

"Building off a pilot during the COVID Bubble period, a student exchange program is already up and running which can snowball with program mapping. Research synergies beyond Indigenous and Māori studies include Climate Studies, Business, and Education," said Professor Anderson.

Hosting lunch at Local Connections, Vice-Chancellor Professor Alex Zelinsky AO thanked the delegation for visiting our bushland campus so that we could return the hospitality shown by Waikato in July.

"We were fortunate to visit Waikato earlier this year and saw firsthand the parallels between our institutions, and the significant opportunities for partnership in education, research, and First Nations collaboration.

"We’re delighted to host you, to show you our city and campuses. And to continue the discussions about opportunities for us to work together. We look forward to seeing how our partnership evolves and seeing what great things we can achieve working together," Professor Zelinsky said.

After lunch, the delegates toured the campus, including NUsport and the library, before travelling to NIER and the Global Innovative Centre for Advanced Nanomaterials to hear from our researchers.

On Wednesday, they were shown around the City Campus, Newcastle and the Anzac Memorial Walk, and heard presentations from a number of our Schools and Divisions. The delegation was then split into eight groups, with discipline-specific streams across the University, while one lucky group joined Nathan Towney and Lindsay Hardy at the Murrook Cultural Centre to experience the remarkable sand dunes.

This comprehensive tour of the University's facilities and insight into the passion of the people working here was inspiring for not only the delegates, but staff involved.

"The visit opened our eyes to the enormous breadth of expertise, passion, facilities and research; it makes you proud to work here," commented Melissa Crain, Executive Officer Global Engagement and Partnerships.

There was an overall sense of comfort and ease in the proceedings with the delegates remarking upon the hospitality, enthusiasm and sense of collaboration of our staff.

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