Partnership Excellence Awards finalists announced

The finalists have been announced for Massey University's annual Partnership Excellence Awards, which recognises organisations that have actively collaborated with the University across a range of areas including research, knowledge exchange, teaching and learning, reaching new audiences and internationalisation.

The finalists in the Domestic Partnership Excellence Award are Health Workforce New Zealand, Palmerston North City Council, Te Runanga Nui o Nga Kura Kaupapa Māori o Aotearoa, Venture Taranaki and Zespri.

The finalists in the International Partnership Excellence Award are University of New England and Wuhan University.

The awards will be presented on March 21 at Massey's annual Defining Excellence Awards dinner, which this year will be held at Parliament House in Wellington.

The dinner also provides an opportunity for the University to celebrate its leading teachers and researchers and outstanding alumni.

Finalists

Ministry of Health, Health Workforce New Zealand

Te Rau Puawai, Māori mental health workforce development programme has been operating as a highly successful partnership between Massey University and the Ministry of Health, Health Workforce New Zealand, since 1998. The aim of the programme is to build a pipeline of professional, skilled and qualified Māori health practitioners in an effort to improve Māori health throughout New Zealand. It uses a learning model that incorporates Māori culture, principles, and concepts to support 100 Māori students each year. The degree completion rate is consistently scored above 95 per cent due to the unwavering support afforded by The Ministry of Health, Health Workforce New Zealand and the many stakeholders and supporters affiliated with this transformational programme.  

Palmerston North City Council

Massey University and the Palmerston North City Council enjoy a longstanding partnership that spans research, learning and teaching and civic leadership. The council is an integral partner in the resource and environmental planning programme and their involvement includes everything from designing programmes, providing speakers, funding and stakeholder governance. The council is also an active partner in the Fitzherbert Science Centre and the development of FoodHQ. The Central Energy Trust Wildbase Recovery project is a collaboration between the Massey University Veterinary School and the council, which expands the reach and impact of Massey’s nationally significant Wildbase facility. The relationship is enshrined in an Memorandum of Understand that was renewed in 2016 and covers a wide range of projects that enhance the student experience and take Massey research to wider audiences.

Te Rūnanga Nui o Ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori o Aotearoa

Te Rūnanga Nui is the overarching body for the kura kaupapa Māori Te Aho Matua system of education. Seven years of partnership with Massey University has resulted in the co-creation of the first ever university-based kaupapa Māori immersion initial teacher education programmes in New Zealand. Highly influential Māori educationalists including Dr Cathy Dewes, Toni Waho, Rawiri Wright and other experts in the field of Te Aho Matua education, have fostered the partnership and continue to lecture in the programmes.

The programmes are based on a partnership at every level with Te Rūnanga Nui providing adjunct lecturers and connecting students with kura kaupapa Māori to gain valuable practical experience and support. Te Aho Tātairangi: Bachelor of Teaching and Learning Kura Kaupapa Māori had its first cohort graduate in May last year and this year another 11 students completed the degree. In 2017, New Zealand’s first Māori immersion initial teacher education postgraduate degree was introduced. This partnership prepares graduates for teaching in the kura kaupapa Māori system through a unique relationship with kura nationwide.

This partnership also helps to address the dearth of immersion Māori teachers now and in the future. Te Rūnanga Nui has enabled Massey to respond to the aspirations of whānau, hapu and iwi, and to provide programmes that are truly tailored to the needs of Māori generally.

Venture Taranaki

Since Massey University’s signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with Venture Taranaki in 2012, the partnership has enabled Massey to share its knowledge and expertise with companies in the Taranaki region, supported by a Massey business development manager who is based in Venture Taranaki’s office. The partnership has resulted in the business manager working with 43 companies or organisations in the Taranaki region on average each year for the past four years. Of these companies, 53 per cent have received support from Massey students or researchers for innovations and projects. The partnership also led to a very successful Master of Business Administration programme with the first year delivered locally in Taranaki. The programme attracted 22 students from Taranaki in 2014 and 2015, compared with the usual average intake of two per year from the region. Massey expertise is also contributing to regional and sector initiatives with economic, social and environmental goals for the Taranaki region.

Zespri International Ltd

Zespri International has made significant investments in Massey University research and development during the last decade, particularly in the fields of post-harvest and human health. The partnership between Zespri and Massey has grown in the last few years and is of significant importance given the rapid growth of the horticultural sector in New Zealand.

Zespri funds postgraduate scholarships and postdoctoral fellows, as well as contributing industrial research and learning support to Massey students and research staff. The collaboration between Zespri and Massey has resulted in a wide range of projects that have had a significant impact on academic research, industry innovation and consumer health.

University of New England

In 2011, Massey University and the University of New England signed an agreement that resulted in Massey delivering the University of New England’s Spanish programme, creating the largest partnership of distance language teaching in Australasia. The partnership has been highly successful in both academic and financial terms, with 1700 students enrolled.  The University of New England’s leadership in online teaching methodology has made it possible for students to access delivery platforms and study materials specifically designed for distance language teaching, tailored to the Australian cultural context.

Wuhan University

In 2006, Professor Chris Moore and later Professor Martin Young, as heads of Massey University’s School of Economics and Finance, along with Associate Professor Jing Chi, established a four-year “articulation” programme with Wuhan University. The programme saw students complete the final two years of their undergraduate degree at Massey University. The programme has proved to be Massey University’s most successful articulation partnership, with more than 450 students to date participating. A number have made the Dean’s List and been awarded Massey scholarships. More than 75 per cent of graduates have progressed to postgraduate study at Massey and other high ranking universities around the world, including four students undertaking PhD study at Massey, of which two have been awarded Massey full PhD scholarships. Last year Massey Business School Pro Vice-Chancellor Professor Ted Zorn with the School of Economics and Finance hosted the ten-year celebration and a major alumni function in Wuhan and this year Vice-Chancellor Professor Jan Thomas visited Wuhan University, recognising the importance of the strategic partnership.