Jim Bolger receiving his Honorary Doctorate in 2002
As New Zealand’s 35th Prime Minister (1990-1997), Mr Bolger led Aotearoa New Zealand through a time of significant economic and social transformation.
Mr Bolger’s leadership extended well beyond economic reform. He was an advocate for Māori empowerment and Tiriti settlements, driven by a deep commitment to justice and reconciliation. His belief in the potential of Māori communities remained unwavering—even when it meant challenging the views within his own party.
In recognition of his contributions to New Zealand, Massey University awarded Mr Bolger an Honorary Doctorate of Literature in 2002. He was celebrated for his intellectual honesty, political courage, and personal integrity. His pivotal role in shaping the Mixed Member Proportional (MMP) electoral system, restoring New Zealand’s international relationships, and serving as Ambassador to the United States were among the many achievements acknowledged in his citation. It also praised his humility and enduring dedication to the public good.
The Honorary Doctorate citation drew a thoughtful parallel between Mr Bolger and Massey University:
“A close connection with the land, a willingness to change and adapt, and a steady rise to greater prominence throughout an incident-packed transition into the bigger cities. This could be a description of Massey University, and it is equally a description of James Brendan Bolger, to whom today we award a Doctor of Literature, Honouris Causa.
Jim Bolger, like Massey University, began in the country—heartland New Zealand—nourished by an agricultural background. And Jim, like Massey again, moved from the country to town—not in a way that lost touch with or renounced those rural origins and the core values they represent, but in a way that preserved and enhanced them.”
Massey University honours Jim Bolger’s legacy as a leader who embodied courage, compassion and conviction, and we are thinking of his friends and family at this sad time.
Jim Bolger and his wife Joan at his Honorary Doctorate graduation ceremony