Archive for 2023

Events

• Te Pūkenga ELT visit to Dunedin Campus (June 23 2023)

  Join us for presentations and Q+A sessions with Megan Gibbons (DCE, Academic Centre and Learning Systems), Gus Gilmore (DCE, Ako Delivery), Andrew McSweeney (Learner and Employer Experience and Attraction) and Paora Ammunson (Tiriti Outcomes).

  Presentations (in-person and online)

  The presentations will be available to attend in-person or online. 

  If possible, please try to attend these sessions in-person as they are intended to be kanohi ki te kanoho (face-to-face).

  The rooms are not ideal for online meetings but it's the only space available due to the short notice. We apologise for this. 

  We completely understand that in-person attendance isn’t possible for everyone, so if you’d prefer to join online, there is a Microsoft Teams link in the calendar invite. You will receive a calendar invite by clicking on the calendar icon next to the session(s) you'd like to attend - see list of sessions below.

  Q + A (in-person only)

  We know a lot of kaimahi will have seen presentations from the DCEs in previous deep dive sessions. So, we have tried to maximise the time we have instead for question and answer sessions. These will run in parallel but are two-hours long so we hope you can drop into as many as you need to. 

  All kaimahi are welcome to attend as many sessions as they would like to. You don't just have to go to those that align with your role. 

  These Q + A sessions will only be held in-person as they are intended to be kanohi ki te kanoho (face-to-face). 

  The rooms cannot host interactive online meetings and they're the only ones available due to the short notice. We apologise for this. 

  If you cannot attend in person but have a question, please either:

  • pass your question along to a colleague who is attending and can ask on your behalf, or 
  • email your question to the attending Otago Polytechnic senior leader(s) to ask on your behalf. 

  The senior leader(s) attending each session is listed in the calendar invite you'll receive when you click on the calendar icon for the Q + A you'd like to add to your calendar.  

• P&C drop-in sessions (May 24 2023)

  People and Culture drop-in sessions

  We are currently on a journey of change. Some of us have transitioned into Te Pūkenga and some of us are yet to do that. The next phase in this process will be commencing in mid-June with the consultation. 

  People and Culture are here to listen and answer the questions that they can.

  If you feel that you would like to talk to someone in People and Culture about change, how you're feeling and how the process works, please drop in to one of our sessions below. Click on the calendar link to add this session into your Microsoft Outlook calendar.

  For more change support information, visit our Change Support webpage.  

• Online Midwifery Research Seminar (September 22 2023)

  Presenter: Megan Hooper-Smith

   

  Title of talk: Midwife Heart and Soul: the experiences of hospital midwives in maternity units in Aotearoa/New Zealand

   

  Short description: Aotearoa/New Zealand midwifery research has mainly focused on the unique community case loading model, with a lack of research focussing on employed midwifery, especially the strengths of employed midwifery. Six midwives from different locations in Aotearoa/New Zealand were interviewed using Appreciative Inquiry, a methodology which gives an affirmative lens to results. Of the four main findings, a key one was ‘midwife heart and soul’, where midwives expressed the value they placed on the connection the the midwifery profession and the wāhine and whānau they worked alongside.

  Bio: Megan has worked mostly as a core midwife since 2011, working in several districts accross the motu. She began her postgraduate journey with the complex care programme in 2013 and completed her Master in Health Research last year, focussing on the experiences of midwives working in institutional maternity facilities. She is now working part time as the midwifery educator in Palmerston North Hospital, and has a special interest in midwives’ mental health and work-life balance.

• Tāraia te anamata | Creating our futures hui (September 19 2023)

  Join our official Tāraia te anamata | Creating our futures announcement hui

  Date: Wednesday 20 September

  Time: 10am-12pm

  During this event, the Te Pūkenga Executive Leadership Team (ELT) will reveal the confirmed organisational structures for their Groups. You have the option to participate in the hui (meeting) online or gather with your hoamahi (colleagues) on campus to watch it together.

  Link to online hui: Join hui here

• Make your own Pride Pin! (September 14 2023)

  Get your arts'n'crafts on with Pride!

  Locke from the Art School will be leading a badge-making session in the Hub at lunchtime. All materials will be supplied.

  Rainbow community members and allies, both ākonga and kaimahi, are welcome to come along and join in the fun.

   

  

• Massages in The Hub (September 14 2023)

  Feeling stressed? Got aches and pains or tight muscles?

  Pop along to the Hub between 11am-2pm any day this week for a free relaxation massage to celebrate Massage Awareness Week!

  We have massage chairs and beds available. 

  No booking required, all welcome. 

  We can help with stress, relaxation, aches and pains, and tight muscles.

• Ways to Wellbeing Treasure Hunt (September 14 2023)

  10 small cards (like the 5 below), will be hidden around The Hub during Mental Health Awareness Week. On those cards there is a single word handwritten on the bottom left.

  

  1. Find all ten cards.

  2. Unscramble the ten-word sentence that they make (get a friend or tutor to help if you need it).

  3. Email the unscrambled hauora/wellbeing-related sentence to stacey.harris@op.ac.nz 

  Correct answers will be entered in the draw to win a fabulous hauora pamper pack – including a free treatment at the student hair salon, a voucher for a facial at the student beauty salon AND a free massage at the student clinic. 

  Competition closes at 5.00pm on Friday 22 September. 

  Winner/s will be advised the following week. 

  One entry per person. All welcome to enter!

• Free Unipol activities (September 14 2023)

  If the weather is nice, Unipol will bring along some outdoor activities that you can get involved in. If the weather isn’t great, we’ll head inside for some indoors options!

• Free BBQ (September 14 2023)

  Come and grab a free feed courtesy of OPSA!

• Mental Health Awareness Week - free speaker events (September 14 2023)

  This year's theme for Mental Health Awareness Week is Five Ways, Five Days, continuing the Five Ways to Wellbeing practices.

  We've sorted a speaker for each day of MHAW to represent the topic for the day. 

  Mon 18 Sept Take notice / Me Aro Tonu	Speaker – Julian O’Hagan (Physiotherapist and Bradcliff Breathing Instructor – Breathing Better) Hear about the benefits to mental health of breathing well and learn some tips to help you achieve this. An introduction to Te Pae Ora A new online hauora (wellbeing) hub created by Te Pūkenga. Stacey Harris will walk us through this new resource.
  Tues 19 Sept Give / Tukua	Speaker – Volunteer South   Hear about the important volunteer work that Volunteer South do and learn how you can get involved.
  Wed 20 Sept  Be active / Me Kori Tonu	Speaker – Christine MacDonell (Unipol) Hear all about what’s on at Unipol and why it’s important to stay active.
  Thu 21 Sept Connect / Me Whakawhanaunga	Speaker – Steve Downey (OP Chaplain) Learn about the importance of connecting with self, others, and place, and being present with those we love.
  Fri 22 Sept Keep learning / Me Ako Tonu	Speaker – Paul Smith (Artsenta) Artsenta is an award-winning art studio for people who are accessing support for a mental health or addiction issue. Hear all about the services they provide and how they can be accessed. An introduction to Te Pae Ora A new online hauora (wellbeing) hub created by Te Pūkenga. Stacey Harris will walk us through this new resource.

   

   

• Open mic - it's your time to shine! (September 14 2023)

  Open mic – it’s your time to shine!

  If you have a talent or skill you’d like to share, we’d love to have you involved. Bring your own instrument, or MP3 backing track. We’ll provide the microphone and the stage. 

  Register in advance by emailing stacey.harris@op.ac.nz or just show up and register on the day!

  We'll also have a range of wellbeing activities on the tables in The Hub.

• Our Market Day is back! (September 7 2023)

  Our year one, Bachelor of Culinary Arts students, are excited to invite you to their last pop-up Market Day for the year. Grab fresh home-baked breads, baking, salads and lunch items prepared fresh for you that day. 

  The students are really looking forward to showcasing their baking and cooking skills and have worked hard to develop a varied product list for you to stock up for the week or to grab some lunch for the day!

  The stall will be open from 11.30am - 12.30pm (or until sold out).

  Save the date! Click the icon below right to add this into your calendar.

• Join us for a mushroom kingdom extravaganza! (September 7 2023)

  Tuarangi Gaming Club is throwing an epic Super Mario Party gaming event.

   Thursday, 7 September.

   Level 1 at 12pm for a shell-spinning good time! 

   

• Hāngī (September 13 2023)

  It doesn’t get better than this - what a way to celebrate Te Wiki o te reo Māori! 

  Come along and share some kai with us – all welcome.

• Poi-making Workshop (September 11 2023)

  Eden Cafe's best secret, Kararaina Redmond is back to host another workshop centred around the art of Crafting Poi to celebrate Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori.  This time she will share a narrative about poi and include te reo māori in her workshop.  Ka mau kē i te wehi!!

  This is always a popular event so please email tepunakaowheo@op.ac.nz to let them know you’re coming so they can ensure there’s enough material.

• Shake Out 2023 (September 4 2023)

  How to ShakeOut

  Find basic instructions on how you can get prepared and take part in New Zealand ShakeOut. 

• 2023 Annual Peace Lecture (September 4 2023)

  

• Movie Night for Tongan Language Week (September 1 2023)

  Movie Synopsis:

  Maka, a Tongan superfan, will do whatever it takes to get tickets to the Tonga vs France Rugby World Cup game – even if it means promising to deliver a brass band for the pre-match entertainment. Only problem is, the band doesn’t exist and Maka has four weeks to make one. Inspired by a true story.

• OVERCOOKED! (August 29 2023)

  Lunchtime 12:00 pm-1:00 pm

  Thursday 31 August

  OPAIC LEVEL 1

  Get ready to sizzle and unwind with our Overcooked Lunchtime Showdown! Dive into some Overcooked madness at our gaming event. Let the culinary chaos begin.

• Movember SpeakEasy Online Workshop (August 18 2023)

  Everyone goes through tough times.

  It’s not always easy to know how to support your friends through the difficult moments. As part of the lead-up to Movember, a series of workshops are being offered to help normalise our everyday struggles and encourage us to be more open in dealing with tough situations.

  The Movember SpeakEasy workshops provide practical tools to help you be there for your crew. Designed with men in mind but valuable for all people, Movember SpeakEasy workshops build skills to help strengthen social connections, helping friends and family to support each other. These workshops are all about fostering meaningful relationships and are conducted in collaboration with The Man Cave.

  These workshops equip you with the skills to support those you care about while emphasising self-care and seeking help when needed. 

  Click here to register for a workshop.

  Check out the Movember SpeakEasy website.

• Group Fitness Night (August 7 2023)

  Join us in the Hub for our group Fitness Night event. The hour cardio session guided by Laura Tuiai will ensure you end your work week off feeling great! All fitness levels are catered for, so bring a friend along and RSVP to pasifika@op.ac.nz.

• Midwifery Research Seminar August 21 (August 3 2023)

  Online Midwifery Research Seminar

  All are welcome to join this online research seminar organised by the School of Midwifery

   

  Where: On Teams  Click here to join the meeting

   

  When: Monday, 21 August, 1-2pm

   

  Presenter one: Megan Hooper-Smith

  Title of talk: Midwife Heart and Soul: the experiences of hospital midwives in maternity units in Aotearoa/New Zealand

  Short description: Aotearoa/New Zealand midwifery research has mainly focused on the unique community case loading model, with a lack of research focussing on employed midwifery, especially the strengths of employed midwifery. Six midwives from different locations in Aotearoa/New Zealand were interviewed using Appreciative Inquiry, a methodology which gives an affirmative lens to results. Of the four main findings, a key one was ‘midwife heart and soul’, where midwives expressed the value they placed on the connection the the midwifery profession and the wāhine and whānau they worked alongside.

  Bio: Megan has worked mostly as a core midwife since 2011, working in several districts accross the motu. She began her postgraduate journey with the complex care programme in 2013 and completed her Master of Health Research last year, focussing on the experiences of midwives working in institutional maternity facilities. She is now working part time as the midwifery educator in Palmerston North Hospital, and has a special interest in midwives’ mental health and work-life balance.

  Presenter two: Amy Taylor

  Title of talk: Neurodivergent Midwives: A Literature Review

  Short description: As awareness and diagnosis of neurodivergent (ND) conditions increases, more health professionals, including midwives, may be discovering their ND identity. There is currently a dearth of research investigating the perspectives of ND midwives; this literature review therefore chose to cast a wider net with the inclusion of studies exploring the workplace experiences of all ND healthcare professionals. Common themes published in the international literature will be presented with the intention of eliciting constructive collegial discussions as well as to fuel motivation for a Master’s thesis within this topic area.

  Bio: Amy Taylor, BA (Hons), (They/Them; Pakeha) is a queer neurodivergent midwife working in the region of Te Awakairangi, Lower Hutt and the parent of two neurodivergent children. With a strong primary birth focus, Amy LMC’d for 4 years; they are hoping to commence a Master’s of Midwifery in 2024.

• Donuts to your door - Fundraiser (August 3 2023)

  Want your donuts delivered - order before Monday 7th August 12 noon and get your delivery on Wed.9th August

• Procrastinators' Club (August 1 2023)

  Do you avoid getting started on assignments? Or find yourself doing everything but the assignment that’s due in a couple of days?

  If this is you, come join the Procrastinators’ Club.

  • Bring an assignment with you to get started on.
  • Learn some strategies for managing your procrastination.
  • This is a no-judgment space.

  Some of these sessions are in-person and some are online.

  Click on the calendar icon below to add the relevant session(s) directly into your Outlook Calendar.

• Fortnightly Rainbow BYO Lunch (August 1 2023)

  Bring your own lunch and head along to eat/talk in a supportive, safe and inclusive environment. 

  Allies are also very welcome so feel free to bring a friend.

  These lunches are for ākonga (learners) and kaimahi (staff). 

  Click on the calendar icon below to add these events into your Outlook calendar.

• Fair Trade korero and chocolate tasting (August 1 2023)

  Come and find out more about Fair Trade and try some free tastings of the award-winning Trade Aid chocolate. 

  Any questions, please contact Jo.Kirkwood@op.ac.nz

• Pop up store (July 31 2023)
• Pop up breakfast (July 31 2023)
• Occupational Therapy info evening (July 31 2023)

  Learn about our study options in occupational therapy

  Chat to our lecturers and ask any questions you have

  Gain insights about what it's like to work in this field from professionals in Dunedin - we've got two Occupational Therapists speaking about their career paths and practice experience 

  Hear our second year learners' experiences during their studies to see if occupational therapy is for you.

  Save the date and come along! No registration is required.

• Cook Islands Language Week Celebration - Otago Museum (July 28 2023)

  Join Te Vaka Cook Islands of Dunedin for a celebration of Cook Islands Language Week at Tūhura Otago Museum.

  Share in the community's rich cultural traditions with dancing, singing, and music. There will be performances and demonstrations throughout the day, and collection items from the Cook Islands will be displayed on level one.

  This special occasion is open to all who are keen to celebrate.

  Atrium Level 1
  10am – Pure akameitaki ki te Atua (Blessing)
  10am – ʻEi katu (head garland) workshop with Ma'taria and Teina, accompanied by string band sounds from Te Vaka
  11am – Ura Fitness class with Kheelan & Sakaria. BYO pāreu, water bottle, gym towel

  Hutton Theatre
  1pm – Drumming history and drumming session with Te Vaka drummers
  2pm – Te Vaka performance

  FREE ENTRY

• Map the System Competition using Systems Thinking (July 27 2023)

  In this public seminar Professor Elinor Bray-Collins (Humber, Toronto) will discuss Map the System - a cross-country collaborative competition using Systems Thinking.

  With Professor Caro McCaw and Machiko Niimi (DESIS Otago, Otago Polytechnic – Te Pūkenga) 

  Come and learn about how Global Polytechnic Alliance Partners from Canada, Denmark and New Zealand work together to support student teams to develop research projects for an international competition, Map the System.

  “Map the System is transforming the way we teach problem solving within higher education and is equipping a new generation of leaders with the systems thinking mindset needed to re-shape our world.” https://mapthesystem.sbs.ox.ac.uk/home

  Elinor Bray-Collins is Professor of Politics at Humber College in Toronto in the faculty of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Elinor has worked with students, staff, NGOs and youth from around the world to voice their visions for equality, sustainability and systems change. 

  Public Seminar - staff, students and visitors are welcome to attend. 

  Click on the icon below to add this to your calendar. 

• Come out for lunch (July 26 2023)

  As a Rainbow Tick organisation, we are proud to provide a safe, welcoming and inclusive place for people of diverse gender, identity and sexual orientation. 

  Hosted by Proud@OP and OPSA Rainbow, this lunch is all about celebrating Rainbow Diversity and Inclusion – come along and grab some hot soup, buns and bacon butties. A perfect way to warm up on a winter’s day! 

  All ākonga (learners) and kaimahi (staff) are welcome. 

  Click on the calendar icon below to add this event to your calendar.

• Ei katu making (July 26 2023)

  Ei Katu making

  Come along and celebrate Cook Island Language Week with the Otago Cook Islands Students Association.  

  Learn about the language, share a free meal, and make your very own Ei Katu (flower garland) to take home.

  Everyone is welcome!

  Please RSVP to pasifika@op.ac.nz by Tuesday 1 August (12pm) - we need to know how much material to buy for the flower garlands :)

  Add this event to your calendar by clicking the calendar icon below.

• Trades employment expo (July 25 2023)

  Come and learn about employment opportunities in Carpentry, Electrical and Plumbing.

  With free bacon butties and spot prizes, this will be a fun and informative way of meeting potential employers and hearing all about the work they do.

  We’ve got some great organisations coming along and they’re looking forward to meeting you.

  Click the icon below right to add this to your calendar!

• GoodYarn Workshop (July 18 2023)

  On completion of this workshop you will be able to:

  • recognise the signs and symptoms of stress and common mental health problems,
  • build the confidence and skills to talk to someone when you’re concerned about them, and
  • know how to guide them toward appropriate supports.

  It will also help you learn about practical things you can all do in your day to day life to protect and improve your mental health and the mental health of those around you. 

  You can book here

  .

• “Best You” Benestar - EAP programme (July 17 2023)

  All kaimahi are welcome to join this online session with Lucy Tayler from Benestar who will provide us with:

  • An Introduction to Benestar and the concept of mental wellbeing
  • An overview of your Benestar ‘Best You’ programme
  • Specific information about EAP, programme entitlements, different modalities of support and confidentiality
  • Mental stress and signs to look out for
  • The ‘Find a Counsellor’ tool and the Benehub app.
  • Benehub Wellbeing Portal Resources
  • Tips for strengthening self-care and wellbeing
  • Q&A

  This is an opportunity to understand more about how Benestar could support you.

   

  Date: 25 July, 2-2.30pm

  Where: On Teams - add the meeting link to your calendar below or click here to join the meeting on the day.

• Employment expo (July 13 2023)

  • Fantastic opportunity for you to network and explore potential employment avenues, including internships, new graduate opportunities, and casual, part-time or full-time work
  • With over 35 businesses attending, this promises to be an engaging and informative experience
  • These businesses are eager to meet and connect with you, providing valuable insights into various roles and offering advice about future study and career pathways
  • Free and no need to register – just drop in when you can
  • Add this event to your calendar by clicking on the calendar icon below!

  Businesses attending: 

  • Go with Tourism 
  • Tradestaff 
  • Workbridge
  • MSD 
  • Connected
  • Workforce Central 
  • Platinum 
  • Firebrand
  • CPB Contractors Ltd. 
  • Trade Assist 
  • Business South 
  • NZ Defence Force 
  • YES 
  • Fulton Hogan 
  • Crew Consulting 
  • APM 
  • Naylor Love 
  • WellSouth 
  • KiwiRail 
  • Blab 
  • Onestaff 
  • Idea Services 
  • Mainfreight 
  • Downer 
  • Farra Engineering 
  • DCC - JobDUN 
  • Start Up 
  • Moore Markhams (Accounting)
  • Mercy Hospital 
  • Remarkable People 
  • Silverfern Farms 
  • C3 (Portwork)
  • Te Whatu Ora and New Hospital Build 
  • Corrections 
  • Port Otago 
  • Polson Higgs 
• Employment expo (July 13 2023)

  • Fantastic opportunity for your ākonga to network and explore potential employment avenues, including internships, new graduate opportunities, and casual, part-time or full-time work
  • With over 35 businesses attending, this promises to be an engaging and informative experience
  • These businesses are eager to meet and connect with ākonga, providing valuable insights into various roles and offering advice about future study and career pathways
  • They are also keen to liaise with kaimahi to forge new partnerships and opportunities for our ākonga
  • Free and no need to register – just drop in when you can
  • Open entry to wider whānau and members of the community 

  Businesses attending: 

  • Go with Tourism 
  • Tradestaff 
  • Workbridge
  • MSD 
  • Connected
  • Workforce Central 
  • Platinum 
  • Firebrand
  • CPB Contractors Ltd. 
  • Trade Assist 
  • Business South 
  • NZ Defence Force 
  • YES 
  • Fulton Hogan 
  • Crew Consulting 
  • APM 
  • Naylor Love 
  • WellSouth 
  • KiwiRail 
  • Blab 
  • Onestaff 
  • Idea Services 
  • Mainfreight 
  • Downer 
  • Farra Engineering 
  • DCC - JobDUN 
  • Start Up 
  • Moore Markhams (Accounting)
  • Mercy Hospital 
  • Remarkable People 
  • Silverfern Farms 
  • C3 (Portwork)
  • Te Whatu Ora and New Hospital Build 
  • Corrections 
  • Port Otago 
  • Polson Higgs 
• Ten-Pin Bowling (July 12 2023)

  Join us for an evening of ten-pin bowling just across the street from OPAIC. Most welcome for new students.

  Two games for only $15 (usually $30).                                               

  Follow this link to sign up.

• Warm welcome event (July 12 2023)

  Haere Mai, Welcome!

  Come along to our Warm Welcome event and set yourself up for a successful semester! With free dumplings, music, competitions and giveaways, this will be a great event!

  Find out more about our Student Success team and all of the support available to you:

  • Accessibility/Neurodiversity Support
  • Career Services
  • Counselling
  • Chaplains
  • International Support
  • Learning Advice
  • Māori Support
  • Online/distance Support
  • OPSA 
  • OPSA Rainbow Support
  • Pasifika Support
  • Peer Tutors
  • Refugee Support
  • Student Advisors
  • Wellbeing Support.

  And access info about:

  • OUSA Queer Support
  • Studylink
  • Tenancy Services
  • OUSA (Otago University Students’ Association) Clubs & Socs
  • UniPol (gym and recreation area)
  • Study Abroad opportunities

  Our IT Support desk is also located in The Hub so bring your device along if you’re having any issues and they can help you out.

  For those new to campus, The Hub is the main social area for our ākonga / students. Check Dunedin Campus map here. There’s a café, loads of tables and seating, our Customer Services desk, the Otago Polytechnic Students’ Association (OPSA) desk/social space, and all of our support services (including IT Support, Neurodiversity/Accessibility Support, Career Services, Counselling, Chaplains, Learning Advice, Māori Support, Pasifika Support, Refugee-background Support, Queer Support and Wellbeing Support).

  Event details

  Mon 17 July, The Hub

  10.30am-1.00pm

  • Expo, music, info & advice

  12noon

  • Mihi whakatau for all ākonga (traditional Māori welcome ceremony)

  12.10pm 

  • Free dumplings

  If you can’t make it, check out our Student Support website. It’s packed full of handy contact details, info and resources. And your student intranet, Kāpehu, is a great place to keep an eye on for news, events and notices during your study. It also has links to further support and services so is worth having a look at.

• Final consultation drop-in session (July 12 2023)

  All kaimahi are invited to attend the final drop in session for the consultation on Tāraia te anamata | Creating our futures.

  In attendance will be Chris Williamson, and members of the PWC and Communications team.

  Where - Online or at Dunedin Campus in room F215

  When - 18 July from 12.00pm until 1.00pm.

  How - You can join us online here 

• Online Midwifery Research Seminar (July 11 2023)

  All are welcome to join this free online research seminar organised by the School of Midwifery

   

  Where: On Teams  Click here to join the meeting

   

  When: Monday, 17 July, 1-2pm

   

  Presenter: Megan Hooper-Smith

  Title of talk: Midwife Heart and Soul: the experiences of hospital midwives in maternity units in Aotearoa/New Zealand

  Short description: Aotearoa/New Zealand midwifery research has mainly focused on the unique community case loading model, with a lack of research focussing on employed midwifery, especially the strengths of employed midwifery. Six midwives from different locations in Aotearoa/New Zealand were interviewed using Appreciative Inquiry, a methodology which gives an affirmative lens to results. Of the four main findings, a key one was ‘midwife heart and soul’, where midwives expressed the value they placed on the connection the the midwifery profession and the wāhine and whānau they worked alongside.

  Bio: Megan has worked mostly as a core midwife since 2011, working in several districts accross the motu. She began her postgraduate journey with the complex care programme in 2013 and completed her Master in Health Research last year, focussing on the experiences of midwives working in institutional maternity facilities. She is now working part time as the midwifery educator in Palmerston North Hospital, and has a special interest in midwives’ mental health and work-life balance.

• Whetu Whakamaumaharatanga (July 5 2023)

  Pōhutukawa is one of the stars of Matariki.

  Pōhutukawa helps us remember those who have passed since the last rising of Matariki.

  It is at this time that people want to call out the names of loved ones who have died in the past year. 

• Hāngī in The Hub (July 5 2023)

  Let's celebrate Matariki together!

  Join our whānau to share kai, reflect on the past, celebrate the present, and embrace the future.

  Invite your classmates to come along with you.
  
  
  
  

  All learners and staff invited

  Mānawatia a Matariki

  
  This event is organised by Te Punaka Ōwheo for all ākonga and kaimahi to celebrate Matariki.

• Peering through the haze: Let’s talk about vaping (June 19 2023)

  Hosted by Aspire Aotearoa, come along to our afternoon tea and kōrero about the impact of vaping on our community. 

  Free

  Adults and teens welcome.

  For more info and to register, head to https://scifest.org.nz/programme/peering-through-the-haze-lets. 

   

• Rainbow Community Connection Evening (June 13 2023)

  Hosted by Certificate in Health and Wellbeing students. 

  Come along for an evening of music, kai and pride. Hear from and connect with rainbow workers in Dunedin!

• Free Diversity Works Event 31 May: Reducing Workplace Harm (May 29 2023)

  Diversity Session: Breaking the Cycle of Workplace Harm 

  A national survey of New Zealand’s workforce found that 30 per cent of respondents have experienced workplace sexual harassment and 39 per cent have experienced racial harassment in their workplace in the past five years. Furthermore, 40 per cent of workers reported being bullied at some point in their working life. These figures were reportedly higher for certain groups, including women, Māori, Pasifika, Asian, bisexual, disabled and young workers.

  Employees often don’t feel safe to report harmful incidents and organisations continue to struggle to address harmful behaviour. So what shifts need to occur to improve workplace safety for all employees? 

  Diversity Sessions are interactive online conversations where we explore inclusion issues impacting our organisations and our people.

  Event Details:
  Date: Wednesday 31 May 2023
  Time: 2pm-3pm 
  Venue: Online
  Investment: Members Free

  Register here using OP username and password.

  Username: otagopolytech
  Password: VXiaZP1dJ

  Add your name and email in the Attendees information fields.

   

  Recordings of previous Diversity Sessions are also available. Sign in using the OP username and password. 

  More information about Diversity Works NZ and OP Membership

   

• Calling all Māori ākonga - come to our quiz night! (May 12 2023)

  Want some free kai? Want to win a few prizes? 

  Then come along to the Te Punaka Ōwheo quiz night.  

  Get a team of 4-6 people together, come along and have some fun, and win some prizes. 

  Kai will be provided. 

  For more info or to register your team, email tepunakaowheo@op.ac.nz

  Check out all of the services and support available at Te Punaka Ōwheo here > 

• Muriwai Beach and Wine Tasting Tour - Thursday, 26 May (May 10 2023)

  Join us and the Action Tours team to visit some popular West Auckland wineries on the way to Muriwai Beach, famous for its black volcanic iron-rich sands. Bring your own lunch or buy something from the café at Muriwai Beach.

   

  The tour includes transport to Muriwai Beach and Gannet Colony, and tastings at two wineries.

   

  This tour is valued at $50, but we are offering a special price of $25 to AIC students! Spaces are strictly limited, so sign up here today.

   

   

• Ngā reo o VSA: Voices of Volunteer Service Abroad (May 9 2023)

  Come along and hear four VSA (Volunteer Service Abroad) volunteers share their stories and experiences. 

  There'll also be information about the Univols University Graduate programme. 

  Free event but please register your interest here: Ngā Reo o VSA - Voices of VSA - Dunedin - Eventfinda 

  Light refreshments and drinks provided. 

  For more info, please email info@vsa.org.nz 

   

• A Connect 4 Challenge (May 9 2023)

  Have fun and get prizes with our Connect 4 Challenge! 

  Tuesday 16 May 

  12noon 

  Near the OPSA office in The Hub 

  See how quickly you can put all the discs in the holder using two hands. Winner will be the person with the fastest time! 

  Great prizes for first three places. 

  Register on the day of the event! 

• Quiz Night Fundraiser - help a young adult get a disability assistance dog! (May 9 2023)

  Support one of our students as they aim to raise funds for a Disability Assistance dog. 

  Come along for a rainbow-themed quiz night! 

  Tuesday 6 June 

  6.00pm 

  The Hub, Forth Street, Otago Polytechnic Dunedin Campus 

  Open to everyone! Invite your friends, whānau, flatmates, colleagues and classmates. 

  $5 entry per person (at the door)

  Teams of 2-6 (you can join other individuals or small teams to make a team if you are coming by yourself)

  There will also be a raffle, bake sale/cafe, and prizes to be won. 

  All money earned will go towards funding a Disability Assistance dog for a young adult in the community. 

• Join Sport Otago at their Pink Ribbon Breakfast (May 9 2023)

  Sport Otago is taking part in the Pink Ribbon Breakfast campaign this year to help support Breast Cancer Foundation NZ's vital work.

  The money we raise will be used to fund research projects and medical grants to help improve survivorship, as well as support patients and their families during treatment and recovery.

  Tickets are $30 for adults and $20 for children under 12, which includes breakfast and a coffee/hot drink.

  To purchase tickets for yourself and your whānau, follow this link

  If you are unable to attend, or wish to donate more, you can do this on our donation and information page

  We are also running a raffle for a 1-night retreat (Monday-Thursday) at Cascade Creek Retreat for two guests.
  This includes full exclusive use of the Retreat, including the two outdoor baths, complimentary continental breakfast, luxury robes & linen, and marshmallows to roast over the open fire.
  The raffle tickets are $5, and you can buy as many as you want. Raffle tickets can be purchased here on iTICKET or in person on the day

  Any queries, please do not hesitate to be in touch with Sean Powlesland (Otago University Placement Student) spowlesland@sportotago.co.nz. Or Sport Otago Events Lead, Sophie Russell, srussell@sportotago.co.nz.

  We look forward to seeing you there dressed in pink!

   

• Tertiary Open Day (May 4 2023)

  Tertiary Open Days is one of our biggest events of the year when we welcome hundreds of potential learners and their whānau on to campus.

  This two-day event is a great chance for people who are thinking about coming to the Polytechnic to talk to our lecturers, explore our campus and check out student work.

  There's loads of friendly staff to show people around, answer questions and give them a taste of life at Otago Polytechnic | Te Pūkenga.

  So, spread the word! 

  Sunday 7 May is a slightly smaller day with staff on campus who can chat about programmes we offer. 

  Monday 8 May is a bigger day with lots of activities happening on campus. This includes taster workshops, presentations from our lecturers, and more. It's a great chance to tour Te Pā Tauira – our hall of residence. 

  Download the full timetable and booklet

  • Download the Open Days planner and timetable here
  • Download the full Tertiary Open Day booklet here

  Otago Polytechnic | Te Pūkenga timetable and map

  • Download the timetable
  • Download the map
• Experience Virtual Mi-Room with Kansai University (May 3 2023)

  Kansai University in Japan is offering a virtual interaction space where students from other countries can join with students from Kansai University to meet and communicate while moving around the space using your own avatar.

  Virtual Mi-Room is recommended for those learners who:

  • Want to chat with other international students from all over the world.
  • want to study abroad, but need to save money and time
  • want to go to Mi-Room but haven't had the chance yet. 

  There is an opening event on Thursday May 11th starting at 3.30pm (JST) which is 6.30pm NZ time.

  Interested?  Sign up before May 7th at https://forms.office.com/r/GKRa4ZUiwx

  

• Calling all soccer buffs to kick off the cup! (May 3 2023)

  Calling all soccer buffs to kick off the cup

  Become the Polytechnic school champions! 
  Tuesday 23 May

  12 noon - 1.00pm

  Hockey Turf (Harbour Terrace)
  

   

  You need to:      

  • Register your team at the OPSA office by 1.00pm on Friday 19 May
  • Choose a team name from one of the countries competing in the Women's World Cup in Dunedin
  • Ensure all team members wear the same uniform/t-shirt
  • Ensure all team members wear clean turf/gym shoes

  Rules: 

  • NO goalkeepers
  • NO offsides
  • NO throw-ins - just kick-ins from side or goal end
  • NO foul language
  • NO pushing/tripping or handballs 
  • All games played across the turf - 2 games at a time, 5 min each half (approx.)
  • All teams to play each other - small goals.

   

  The team with the most goals after all games played wins! 

  Great team prizes.

  BBQ provided.

  Organise your cheer squad.
• Free privacy week webinars (May 2 2023)

  Privacy Week 2023

  May 8-14

  The theme this year is 'Privacy rights in the digital age'.

  Join any of the 20 free webinars covering topics like biometrics, AI, machine learning, digital identity, parenting and social media, farming, and online dating.

  The Office of the Privacy Commissioner marks Privacy Week each year to promote privacy awareness, inform people of their rights under the Privacy Act, and help educate agencies about their responsibilities.

  Visit the Events page for more information about each event and to register.

• Tertiary Open Days (April 27 2023)

  Got a friend or family member who's thinking of coming to Poly? 

  Tertiary Open Days is one of our biggest events of the year when we welcome hundreds of potential learners and their whānau on to campus.

  This two-day event is a great chance for people who are thinking about coming to the Polytechnic to talk to our lecturers, explore our campus and check out student work.

  There's loads of friendly staff to show people around, answer questions and give them a taste of life at Otago Polytechnic | Te Pūkenga.

  So, spread the word! 

  Sunday 7 May is a slightly smaller day with staff on campus who can chat about programmes we offer. 

  Monday 8 May is a bigger day with lots of activities happening on campus. This includes taster workshops, presentations from our lecturers, and more. It's a great chance to tour Te Pā Tauira – our hall of residence. 

  Download the full timetable and booklet

  • Download the Open Days planner and timetable here
  • Download the full Tertiary Open Day booklet here

  Otago Polytechnic | Te Pūkenga timetable and map

  • Download the timetable
  • Download the map
• Rural healthcare is a right, right? (April 5 2023)

  Professor Kim English from Canada will deliver a public lecture on rural healthcare this month.

  WHEN: 12:10-13:00, Wednesday 19 April 2023

  WHERE: G106, Otago Polytechnic, Union Street West, Dunedin OR online

  Rural healthcare is a right, right?

  The pandemic has had an impact on many sectors, however, has laid bare the tenuous strands holding rural and remote healthcare together. Funding and health human resource planning in Canada, and one presumes globally, has occurred from a very urban centric lens and is not reflective of the rural and remote context. Critical staffing issues have resulted in closures of emergency departments and nursing stations in remote areas. This has been a global phenomenon. 

  But what if the pandemic also provided an opportunity? An opportunity to consider new models of care, stronger means of attracting and retaining professionals and better decision-making methodologies to enhance rural and remote care. 

  True change for rural healthcare requires innovation and leadership, and to be led by rural providers and consumers of healthcare. This entails new ways of thinking about supporting health in rural environments using a social innovation approach and creating rural centres for excellence in healthcare. 

  Rural dwellers have the right to care in the communities, which means rights-based understanding of healthcare and access in rural and remote areas, and healthcare in rural and remote areas needs to be restructured from this lens. 

  This presentation will summarize aspects of the presenter's work challenging funding and health and human resource planning for rural and remote areas. Further, strong recommendations for regulatory and policy changes will be shared, while considering new models of care.

  Kim English bio

  Professor English is a Doctoral candidate who has been teaching nurses at the undergraduate and post-graduate level since 2002. Her pedagogical praxis draws from her clinical experiences in acute care and professional practice, and her lived experiences in rural health and working with Indigenous communities.

  Kim’s narrative informed research explores the work of rural and remote nurses, celebrating their innovation and leadership.  Kim’s work draws from the social sciences and humanities. She is privileged as a settler to be able to learn with and from many Indigenous nurses, elders, and colleagues to inform an anti-colonial lens to her understanding of context and health.

  This is important as she addresses issues in the provision of nursing education using virtual simulations, the impact of inclusive, anti-racist and anti-oppressive approaches to education. Kim has a particular interest in addressing racism in healthcare to serve as an ally to Indigenous populations.

  Kim has been the recipient of several teaching awards, including the Trent University Excellence in Online Education Award in 2020. Kim is a Professor in the Fleming School of Nursing at Trent University.

   

• Free Diversity Works Event 29 March: Imposter Syndrome (March 28 2023)

  Diversity Session: Imposter Syndrome - The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly 

  When organisations create an environment where there is little flexibility regarding what is acceptable and what good looks like, it allows imposter syndrome to flourish, inhibiting the confidence of anyone who doesn’t fit the mould.

  If you begin to doubt your abilities and feel like a fraud, the workplace becomes an uncomfortable space where you cannot be yourself or realise your full potential.

  Diversity Sessions are interactive online conversations where we can explore inclusion issues impacting our organisations and our people.

  Event Details:
  Date: Wednesday 29 March 2023
  Time: 2pm-3pm 
  Venue: Online
  Investment: Member Free

  Book into event HERE - you will need to set up a personal login if this is your first time booking into an event. 

   

  More information about Diversity Works NZ and OP Membership

   

• Monthly metta (July 4 2023)

  Metta is the buddhist practice of loving kindness meditation.

  Through the practice of metta we develop the capacity to have compassion for others and for ourselves. The Core Meditation metta process is based on traditional buddhist practices but also incorporates influences from other traditions.

  Entry is by donation if you can afford it.

  If you can’t come and sit with us anyway.
  
  Register here

• Second keynote speaker for Neurodiversity Symposium announced (November 3 2021)

  The organisers of Neurodiversity Symposium, to be held on Thursday 11 November, are excited to announce Jolene Stockman as the second keynote speaker.

  Jolene (Te Ātiawa, she/her) is an award-winning Taranaki author, speaker, and instructional designer. She is also tangata whaitakiwātanga (autistic).

  Since her TEDx Talk in 2018 going public with her adult diagnosis, Jolene has signed with the International Indigenous Speakers Bureau and worked with global giant IBM on their diversity and inclusion training. Jolene is a founding member of the A4A Autistics Zoom Group, on the management committee for Autism Connex, and part of the team behind Autism Aotearoa.

  As a working, married, autistic with two children and a degree, Jolene inspires and surprises with her vision of the world.

  In a wonderful coincidence, Jolene has work in the iNDx Art Exhibition*, currently showing at the Otago Museum (12 October - 12 December).

  At the symposium you can also hear from keynote speaker Mike Styles, a consultant, trainer and researcher in dyslexia and neurodiversity; and lead in the development of the Dyslexia Friendly Quality Mark.

  And that’s not all! There will be short presentations from OP staff and students, to share a range of perspectives on supporting diverse learners and teachers.

  Places are limited for in-person attendance, so register now! There is also an online option. Registration Link: https://neurodiversity-community-of-practice-symposium.eventbrite.co.nz ] 

  Note, Mike Styles is also offering a workshop in the afternoon to demonstrate tools designed to support neurodiverse learners. There is a separate registration form for this workshop.  We hope one or two staff members from a wide range of programmes are able to attend the workshop in person (limited numbers).

  * A collaborative and thought-provoking exhibition that showcases the amazing depth of artistic talent in both the local and the wider autistic community.
   iNDx =“I” for identity, “ND” for neurodivergent or neurologically “not typical”, and “Dx” being a play on the medical abbreviation for diagnosis.

  Neurodiversity Symposium, Thursday 11 November, Otago Polytechnic – register now!

  Image: artwork from Jolene (with her permission)

   

   

   

• Engineering Technology Information Night! (November 3 2021)

  Ever thought about a career in Engineering but not sure where to start? (or not sure what Engineering even is?)
  
  We're holding a FREE Engineering Technology Information Night!
  
  This is your opportunity to explore the various Engineering study options on offer at Otago Polytechnic and see if this is the career for you.
  Engineers do more than just maths and numbers… They build cities, design electric vehicles or prototype robots. The best part, Engineers are in high demand - which is why it's such a great career to look into!
  
  This Information Night is a your chance to:

  • Learn about our different Engineering Technology programmes
  • Find out what specialty you might like to study
  • See where each course may take you
  • Understand what you need to apply to study in 2022

  Check out what current Engineering Technology students are up to in their studies, and chat with our lecturers, they'll be here to answer any questions you have.

  
  Explore Careers in:

  • Civil Engineering
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Engineering Trades

  
  Date: Wednesday 24 November

  Time: 4:30 pm - 6 pm

  Location: The Hub, Otago Polytechnic, Forth Street
  
  

  Contact us at engtech@op.ac.nz

  Join us and experience where Engineering could take you!

• Beauty Therapy or Hairdressing Taster Days (July 21 2021)

  Experience what it is like to be a beauty professional on our Taster Day. 

   

  Join us for a FREE Taster Day! This is your opportunity to explore your Beauty Therapy or Hairdressing career options.

  • Learn about our Beauty Therapy or Hairdressing programmes
  • Have a go with interactive, hands-on demonstrations
    Speak to our qualified staff about your career aspirations
  • Interact with our current learners
  • Find out how you can apply for the 2022 intake.

  Places are limited to up to 14x participants per session - registrations are essential!

   

  BOOK NOW  and save your FREE spot!

  To register, email Steph Kerslake at steph.kerslake@op.ac.nz by 5 August 2021, and book your place for one or both sessions:

  > Beauty Therapy: 9 am – 12 pm

  > Hairdressing: 12.30 pm – 2.30 pm

  Join us and experience our hands-on learning environment.

   

  When:

  Thursday, 19 August, 9am - 2.30 pm, The Hub, Otago Polytechnic,
  Forth Street Dunedin.

  Invite your whānau by sharing this Facebook Event.

• Health Information Evening - 12 Aug (July 14 2021)

  Want to work as a healthcare professional?

   

  This is an opportunity for our community to explore their healthcare career options.

   

  This Health Information Evening will allow potential learners to know about our healthcare programmes and what they need to do to apply to study in 2022.

  Invite potential learners to speak to our qualified staff, healthcare practitioners, and industry professionals about your healthcare career aspirations.

  Explore career options in:

  > Nursing
  > Midwifery
  > Occupational Therapy
  > Social Services (Career Practice, Counselling, Disability Support and Coordination or Mental Health Support)
  > Sport, Exercise and Health
  > Massage Therapy
  > Degree/Diploma bridging option

   

  When:

  Thursday, 12 August, 5 pm - 6.30 pm, The Hub, Otago Polytechnic,
  Forth Street Dunedin.

  Invite your whānau by sharing this Facebook Event.

• Interested in mixed reality? HoloLens session (June 10 2021)

  Keen to know more about mixed reality?

  
  Want to explore the GiGXR apps on the Microsoft HoloLens?

  
  Then come to this session!

  12:30 – 2pm on Thursday 17th June (drop in - come anytime during this time)

  Venue: H202 and H205.

  
  This session is an update for GiGXR – the company that has developed the apps that OP uses – the HoloHuman and the HoloPatient.

  GiGXR have done a huge amount of work on their CMS and the HoloPatient app. This includes a number of new patient scenarios (COVID-19, pre-eclampsia, hip fracture, Parkinsons and dementia).

  You can also now remote link in using your mobile phone (potential for distance learners) and it shows the patient through augmented reality, linked to one person using a headset.

  Some exciting new features to explore and a chance for you to become more familiar with the technology.

  If you think mixed reality could work in your teaching area, please come along to find out more.

  The HoloLens has the potential for use in many subjects, as well as nursing.

  Hope to see you there!

  Emma Collins (Nursing) and Emma Allen (Learning and Teaching Development)

   

• 'Fashion FWD' set to open (March 26 2021)

  “Fashion FWD >> Disruption through Design”, an exhibition and celebration of innovative fashion, accessory and textile designs, opens at Otago Museum on Saturday 27 March.

  The exhibition is the keystone within a programme of pop-up fashion events, workshops and talks, and will include the international premier of the iD International Emerging Designer Awards finalists film at Otago Museum on 19 June.

  What: “Fashion FWD >> Disruption through Design”

  Where: Otago Museum

  When: 27 March to 17 October

News

• Eden closed - Mon 2nd October (September 26 2023)

  Eden Cafe will be closed all day on Monday 2nd October for staff development, make sure you pack your lunch 😀 

• Webexpenses unavailable (September 25 2023)

  Webexpenses is unavailable until further notice. We have contacted the vendor, and hope it will come back online sometime today.

  When you try to access Webexpenses from Tūhono, you'll see this message. 

  

  Unfortunately, Finance can't do anything to resolve this so please just wait until we advise that it is operational again. 

  We apologise for the inconvenience and hope this will be back online soon!

• Payroll Payment (September 20 2023)

  Unfortunately, there was a delay in Tuesday’s payroll payment, due to a delay in Finance processing the payment at the bank. We apologise for any inconvenience this may have caused. 

  Team Finance

• Massage for mental wellbeing (September 13 2023)

  We all have times when life is a bit too much. We get wound up and reactive. Sometimes this can lead to anxiety, depression, or mental illness. Research indicates that massage is a useful complementary treatment for this.

  This year for mental health awareness week, the staff and students of the Otago Polytechnic Massage Therapy course are offering free massage for anyone who is finding life challenging.

  See this document for details including how to book in.

• Adult Education Open Day - Friday, 8 September (August 30 2023)

  Would you like to know more about the adult community education classes held by the Dunedin WEA?

  From slow cooker cooking to art journalling, or Te Reo to patchwork, and everything in between! Art - music - language - and above all, fun!  We offer something for everyone - come along and see which class is for you!

  As part of the Festival of Adult Learning, we are holding an exhibition on Friday, 8 September 2023 in the South Dunedin Community Network Rooms, 278a King Edward St, South Dunedin, from 10am to 3pm.  You will be able to see examples of student work and photos of classes in progress, plus WEA representatives will be on hand to answer any questions you might have.

  The Dunedin WEA (Workers' Educational Association) Te Wāhi Ākoranga o Ōtepoti is a community-based, non-profit organisation that was founded in 2019 with the aim of offering low-cost, high-quality community education classes for the wider Dunedin community.  More information can be found on our website at www.dunedinwea.org.nz

• Relevant Research - August 2023 (August 28 2023)

  Earlier this year we were pleased to welcome Associate Professor Martin Andrew to the role of Series Editor for our journal series Scope: Contemporary Research Topics. Otago Polytechnic Press publishes four to six issues in this series of peer-reviewed journals every year, on Art & Design, Health & Wellbeing, Learning & Teaching, and Work-based Learning. All issues are freely available to be read online at thescopes.org.

  We hope you enjoy reading about research by Martin Andrew and other kaimahi (staff) and ākonga (learners) in our region of Te Pūkenga in this month's issue of Relevant Research.

  • Wairua: Te kaiwhatu ātaahua | The beautiful weaver (Katrina Le Cong, Otago Polytechnic)
  • Midwinter enchantment (Communication Design ākonga)
  • Sartorial continuity (Rekha Shailaj, Otago Polytechnic)
  • Rethinking care for chronic conditions (Anna Askerud, Otago Polytechnic)
  • Neoliberal capitalism and the modern university (Martin Andrew, Otago Polytechnic)
  • Immersed in the environment (Becky Cameron, Master of Fine Arts ākonga, Otago Polytechnic)
  • World wide web (Ola Adeleye, Otago Polytechnic)
  • Decision to tender (Samanthi Menike, SIT)
  • What's in a name? He aha rā te ingoa? (Megan Pōtiki, Region 4)
  • Breaking language barriers (Gwyn Reynolds et al, Ara)
• Pet Free Homestay Family Needed from Mid October (August 24 2023)

  We are looking for a pet free homestay family for a Japanese Learner who has been in Dunedin since April studying Engineering. This female student is very independent but has allergies to cats and dogs so is a little harder to place. She is currently living with another host family,  who are only able to host until mid October. This student requires Homestay from mid October until March 11 2024.

  This student is 18 but falls under our ICT agreement for host families:

  • no teenage boys in the house without a sister also living in the home
  • students can only stay overnight in the home of another OP host family

  Homestay families are paid $336 per week to host.

  If you are interested in hosting, please contact us at Homestay@op.ac.nz 

   

• Support Daffodil Day - Wednesday 23 August (August 16 2023)

  School of Business ākonga and kaimahi are supporting the Cancer Society and their annual Daffodil Day appeal on Wednesday 23 August in The Hub.

  We appreciate your support - feel free to come and have a chat with the team.

• Hot water off this afternoon - H & G Blocks (August 10 2023)

  Due to repair work replacing 3 electric elements in the hot water cylinder, the hot water will be off in H & G Blocks from 1pm today and for the rest of the day.

  We apologise for any inconvenience during this maintenance. 

• Bledisloe Cup - road closures Sat 5 Aug (August 1 2023)

  On Sat 5 August, the Bledisloe Cup is being played at the Forsyth Barr Stadium. 

  Traffic Management Ltd will be putting road closures in place from 11.30am. 

  The map they have supplied below shows which roads will be closed. 

  Map showing road closures around stadium >

  We apologise for any inconvenience this might cause.

• Relevant Research - July 2023 (July 31 2023)

  • Make yourself at home (Hufsa Kazmi and Sanjeev Acharya at Ara)
  • Touring the region (SIT music students)
  • Rugby running demands (Peter Olsen at Ara)
  • Rocks for Tots (Otago Polytechnic communication design students)
  • Twilight’s Edge (Graham Fletcher at Otago Polytechnic)
  • After hours emergency care (Otago Polytechnic nursing students)
  • Migrating nurses (Geoffrey Harvey at Otago Polytechnic)
  • Industrial heritage (Otago Polytechnic architecture student)
  • Enabling neurodiverse learners (Rachel van Gorp at Otago Polytechnic)
  • Learning suturing (Otago Polytechnic Product Design student)

  Please share these stories with others, and here is the link to the whole issue if you know people who might be interested in browsing and subscribing.

• Great job opportunity for ākonga! (July 25 2023)

  Residential Assistant role 

  Know a learner who would be great at helping the residents of Te Pā Tauira, our Student Village, during their time staying with us? Encourage them to apply for a part-time Residential Assistant role in 2024.

  This part-time role (15 hours per week) is a fixed term position from 31 January – 1 December 2024. The hours are mainly evenings and weekends (with weekends off being rostered evenly throughout the team).   

  You’ll be paid $24.84 per hour and applications close on 19 August so get in quick. 

  More about the role

  We’re looking to hire a community-minded, self-managing and resilient person. 

  As a Residential Assistant, you will be a leader in our student community by:

  • providing pastoral support to first year tertiary students
  • organising and running events for the community
  • monitoring and informing senior staff about community developments, and
  • undertaking general administration and reporting tasks.   

  If you’re successful in getting this job, you’d be able to live on-site at the Student Village or off-site at your own accommodation.   

  For more info

  To check out the position description, the kind of things we’re looking for in our successful candidate, a little more about what we offer and a position description, visit this page. You can find a downloadable PDF of the position description at the bottom of this page.

  To apply

  For specific information, please email renee.stringer@op.ac.nz or phone 0800 762 786 and ask to speak to Renee. 

  To apply, please visit this page and click the blue apply button. You’ll need to register to apply for this vacancy or login if you’ve already created an account.

• Great job opportunity! (July 25 2023)

  Make an impact helping the residents of Te Pā Tauira, our Student Village, during their time staying with us. 

  This part-time role (15 hours per week) is a fixed term position from 31 January – 1 December 2024. The hours are mainly evenings and weekends (with weekends off being rostered evenly throughout the team).   

  You’ll be paid $24.84 per hour and applications close on 19 August so get in quick. 

  More about the role

  We’re looking to hire a community-minded, self-managing and resilient person. 

  As a Residential Assistant, you will be a leader in our student community by:

  • providing pastoral support to first year tertiary students
  • organising and running events for the community
  • monitoring and informing senior staff about community developments, and
  • undertaking general administration and reporting tasks.   

  If you’re successful in getting this job, you’d be able to live on-site at the Student Village or off-site at your own accommodation.   

  For more info

  To check out the position description, the kind of things we’re looking for in our successful candidate, a little more about what we offer and a position description, visit this page. You can find a downloadable PDF of the position description at the bottom of this page.

  To apply

  For specific information, please email renee.stringer@op.ac.nz or phone 0800 762 786 and ask to speak to Renee. 

  To apply, please visit this page and click the blue apply button. You’ll need to register to apply for this vacancy or login if you’ve already created an account.

• Flag Plant by Small Measures (July 25 2023)

  A 5 minute video by Hannah Joynt and Jane Venis (together Small Measures) is playing at the Dunedin Public Art Gallery as their current Rear Window Project. Flag Plant is screening 24/7 at 40 Moray Place until 10 October 2023.

  In 2019, Small Measures spent time in Portugal as part of the Buinho Creative Hub Residency. In the historic town of Messejana, in the Alentejo region of Portugal, they visited an operational bullfighting arena. With improvisation sitting at the core of their collaborative practice, Small Measures were inspired to make a film work in response to this site. Through sound, movement and mark-making, Small Measures responded to the activities that take place within the bullring – offering a small gesture of peace through the planting of an olive branch.

  Other work by Small Measures is exhibited inside on the first floor of the Dunedin Public Art Gallery until 12 November 2023.

  • Read more at the Dunedin Public Art Gallery webpage.
• Systems Thinking Workshops - Free PD Opportunity (July 19 2023)

  An introduction to the concepts and practice of Systems Thinking

  Systems Thinking centres on the awareness that everything is interconnected and therefore all of our actions have consequences. When you learn to think in Systems, you develop a mindset for analyzing complex problems, understanding their structure and behaviour, and understanding how, why and when change happens.

  It has become an increasingly popular skill set among industries, institutions and communities seeking to effect positive ecological and/or social change and increase equity and sustainability on the planet.

  The ideas behind this way of approaching and understanding problems is not new - embracing interconnectedness has been a core tenant of indigenous worldviews and ways of knowing for eons.

  Facilitator

  You are invited to learn more about Systems Thinking in a series of sessions facilitated by Elinor Bray-Collins, Professor of Politics at Humber College in Toronto in the faculty of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Elinor has worked with students, staff, NGOs and youth from around the world to voice their visions for equality, sustainability and systems change. She has also worked in global development and peacebuilding in the Middle East, Southeast Asia and East Africa. Read Elinor's full bio here.

  Friday Workshops

  Elinor is delivering three workshops for kaimahi over three Fridays - 28 July, 4 August, and 11 August. Each Friday session will cover different aspects of Systems Thinking. 

  Join any or all of the Friday sessions, for the first hour only, or for the full 3-hour session.
  The first hour is online and will introduce concepts and tools. Add the meeting link to your calendar below or click here to join the Teams Meeting on the day.
  For those who want to explore further and apply Systems Thinking to a research project or problem, stay on for the next two hours, either online or come together face-to-face in H524.

• Academic Skills Sessions for ākonga (July 13 2023)

  The Learning Advisors are offering a series of 30-minute study skills sessions from 24 July - 3 August. These sessions will be delivered in-person in H134 (located at Student Success, The Hub), and online via Teams, and will include sessions on:  

  • Essays & Assignments - Mon 24 July (In H134 12 noon, online 4pm)
  • Research Skills - Tues 25 July (In H134 12 noon, online 7pm)
  • Studying Effectively - Wed 26 July (In H134 12 noon, online 4pm)
  • Introduction to Zotero - Wed 26 July (In H134 12 noon, online 7pm)
  • Paraphrasing & Summarising - Tues 1 Aug (In H134 12 noon, online 7pm)
  • Academic Writing - Wed 2 Aug (In H134 12 noon, online 7pm)
  • Tips for Referencing - Thurs 3 Aug (In H134 12 noon, online 4pm)  

  Students do not need to register to attend. An email will go out to school administrators, with a full list of session dates, the link to online sessions, and a flyer to distribute to ākonga.

  If you have any queries or you would like a tailored workshop for your class, please contact us at: academicsupport@op.ac.nz 

• Tapuae Gym Semester 2 & FIFA 23 (July 13 2023)

  Tapuae Gym will return to our regular open hours and services from Monday 17 July with our ākonga returning for Semester 2.

  • Monday to Friday 6am-8pm
  • Saturday 9am-12pm 

  There will be some changes to our regular open hours due to FIFA 2023 Ōtepoti game days.

  Tapuae Gym will be closed on the following days:

  • Friday 21 July
  • Wednesday 26 July
  • Friday 28 July
  • Tuesday 1 August
• Tai Chi Semester 2 (July 12 2023)

  Tai Chi Beginners Class will start again

  Monday 7 August

  12.05 - 12.50

  D317

  No special clothing required, just flat shoes or bare feet. This is a no-sweat class 😊

  For more info or to register your Interest please contact Marlene

  Marlene Pooley, Tai Chi Instructor

  Certified through Tai Chi for Health Institute (.org)

  021 023 96134 / (03) 4762115 

  b.mpooley91@gmail.com

  Cost $15 Casual, $12.50/Class for a block of 10 ($125), and a Beginners Special of $12/class for a block of 5 classes ($60) 

• Reinstating ourselves on the whenua (July 11 2023)

  Megan Pōtiki will present this week's seminar at Te Tumu, University of Otago.

  Topic: Reinstating ourselves on the whenua

  Writing historical narratives in recent times for design and architectural build across the city is exciting but also comes with it challenges. Primarily its about getting it right with your own people; taking time to find and cross-reference history and whakapapa ensuring its authenticity. Alongside assessing how much of our whakapapa and narrative we are willing to give over. This has been my gig for the last few years, in the early hours of the morning you will find me researching and writing to reinstate the cultural narrative across our city.

  Presenter: Megan Potiki is from Ōtākou and is of Kāi Tahu and Ātiawa descent. Currently Megan is the Regional Co-lead for Te Pukenga. Megan is also an acclaimed academic and writer.

  All are welcome to attend.

  Date: Wednesday 12^th July

  Time: 3pm

  Seminar location: R3S10 Te Tumu

  This will also be available on Zoom for people unable to attend in person.

  Contact: Kare Tipa, kare.tipa@otago.ac.nz

   

  _______________________________________________________________

  Zoom Information

  Topic: Te Tumu Seminar Series - Megan Pōtiki

  Time: Jul 12, 2023 03:00 PM Auckland, Wellington

   

  Join from PC, Mac, iOS or Android: https://otago.zoom.us/j/99964148576?pwd=ckVwZEM0UzRQVDluM1M5UEN1eEtsZz09

  Meeting ID: 999 6414 8576

  Password: 065010

• Temporary Ramp Installation Today (July 11 2023)

  A temporary ramp is being installed today in the quad to allow access up the steps and into the Hub. This will be in place while the landscaping works continue outside He Toki Kai Te Rika / Trades Training Building.

• Tapuae Gym Closed for Matariki (July 10 2023)

  Tapuae gym will be closed on Friday 14th and Saturday 15th July for Matariki.

  We look forward to you getting your move on in Tapuae Gym, our great little gym in Logan Park, before 8pm this Thursday and/or after 6am Monday when we kick off semester 2.

• Prime Minister's Scholarship applications open now (July 7 2023)

  Te Pūkenga has been awarded two Prime Minister's Group Scholarships which will allow 20 Te Pūkenga learners participate in a global experience.  Please see details of each group scholarship programme below.

  Prime Minister's Scholarship for Asia: (15 spots available) 6-week Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme at Jinhua Polytechnic, China. Programme dates 10 December 2023 – 21 January 2024. The programme includes 4-week award-winning entrepreneurship and innovation course with embedded Chinese language classes, both on and off-campus entrepreneurship and innovation site visits, and 2-week cultural experience trips to 4 cities near Jinhua where the institution is located.

  Prime Minister's Scholarship for Latin America: (5 spots available) 6-week internship in Medellin, Colombia hosted by The Intern Group (TIG). Programme dates 13 January – 23 February 2024. The programme has a deep focus on helping students develop tangible professional skills, intercultural competency, and relationship building between themselves and their host communities. The programme immerses students in Colombian culture with an internship placement professionally matched for the student and host, plus a full calendar of social and cultural events coordinated by TIG’s on-the-ground team. Internship career fields available: Entrepreneurship, IT/Computer science, Finance, Art, Photography and Graphic design.

  The scholarships cover programme fees, flights, visas, insurance, and a contribution towards accommodation and living costs. 

  Student applications must be submitted by Monday 21st August 2023 

  An online application form can be found here.  

• Relevant Research - June 2023 (June 30 2023)

  Welcome to another issue of Relevant Research with research stories from Te Pūkenga kaimahi (staff) and ākonga (students) at Otago Polytechnic, Southern Institute of Technology and Ara Institute of Canterbury (OPSITARA).

  Well done Margo Barton and Caroline Terpstra, for leading the organising committee for the recent conference of International Foundation of Fashion Technology Institutes (IFFTI). The 25th annual IFFTI conference was successfully held in Dunedin in April, with the theme of Ara Honohono | Connecting Pathways.

  We would also like to congratulate Associate Professor David Rozado, who has been awarded a visiting faculty fellowship at the Center for Academic Pluralism, Heterodox Academy in New York City. David will take up his fellowship over the New Zealand summer. You can read more in the Heterodox Academy announcement here. 

  Browse the whole magazine issue here, or pick a story to dip into:

  • Engaging with ethics (Glenys Forsyth)
  • A water feature for Dunedin (Architecture learner Hayley Wright)
  • Movement for your mind’s sake (Gary Barclay, Laura Munro, Codi Ramsey)
  • 24 hour emergency care (Nursing learners)
  • Optimum family-centred care (Tricia Thompson)
  • Imaginative play (Doctorate of Professional Practice learner Helen Wilderspin)
  • A process of prioritising research needs (Ema Tokolahi)
  • Catch-combat (Communication Design learner Hailey Cadzow)
  • Next to normal (Juliet Reynolds-Midgley)
  • Successful aging (Trish Conradson)
  • Artificial intelligence (IT learners)
  • Values driven workplace culture (Adrian Woodhouse and Chloe Humphreys)

   

• Free yoga session - Wed 21 June! (June 19 2023)

  It’s international yoga day on Weds 21 June and the Student Success team want to invite you to a free yoga session. 

  5.00pm

  G201/203

  Led by Adrienne Roy from Dunedin Hot Yoga Studio 

  The session will be a Yin style (un-heated) session. It will focus on stretching, calming and reducing stressful feelings, focusing inward and allowing your body and mind to relax and let go. Especially targeted for dealing with end of semester and other stress. Give yourself an hour to relax. 

  If you have your own yoga mat, bring it along – otherwise a decent sized towel will do the trick. 

  All students and staff welcome. 

  Please RSVP to stacey.harris@op.ac.nz to make sure you get a space. You can just turn up, but if the room is full, you may miss out.

• Vacancy - Barista role (fixed-term, 20 hours per week) (June 19 2023)

  Come and make great coffee with us! 

  We’ve got a fab opening in our catering operations team here on campus! 

  We’re looking for a passionate and experienced barista for our catering operations including Eden and Hīnaka cafés. This role will mainly focus on barista duties but also include general front-of-house and café.

  • Fixed term until November 2023.
  • Part-time, 20 hours per week (rostered Monday – Friday).
  • Mostly barista duties but also include general FOH and café duties.

  Click here for more information and a position description.  

  Apply by 5.00pm, 25 June 2023

  Please contact Mark Lane, 0800 762 786 or mark.lane@op.ac.nz

• Vacancy - Baker role (20 hours per week) (June 19 2023)

  Love cooking delicious and nutritious food for people? Come and work with us! 

  We’ve got a permanent, part-time role available (20 hours per week) in our catering operations team here on campus. 

  We’re looking for someone who can cook delicious and nutritious food for our onsite cafés, student accommodation catering and catering for our offsite and onsite events as required.   

  You will work in a team, planning, preparing, cooking and cleaning. The usual hours of work will be rostered over the weekdays, Monday – Friday, with occasional weekend mahi. 

  Click here for more information and a position description 

  Apply by 5.00pm, Wednesday 21 June

  Please contact Vanya Thurston, 0800 762 786 or vanya.thurston@op.ac.nz

• Food Design students help Dunedin Night Shelter (June 15 2023)

  We're very proud of these Food & Beverage students who committed to creating a load of ready-to-eat meals for our Dunedin Night Shelter.  Check out this pic - they are extremely pleased with their efforts in the kitchen and happy they have been able to deliver the food for such a worthy cause

• Retooled NZ Red Cross Charity Auction 22 June (June 13 2023)

  The School of Design & New Zealand Red Cross invite you to a Charity Auction of a range of upcycled & re-designed products, furniture & garments created by Design students & from the Red Cross Op Shop...Thursday 22 June 5.30pm The Hub.

  Koha entry - all proceeds to New Zealand Red Cross.

• Three massages and stress management programme ($70) (June 13 2023)

  Would you like to enrol in a stress management process with one of our students? 
  This will involve three massages and a stress management home programme for the price of 2 massages!

  To apply for this you must be:

  • suffering from stress or have a stress-related condition
  • available on Wednesday 14 June (10-11, 11:30-12:30, 1:30-2:30, 3-4) or Friday 16 June (1:30-2:30, 3-4)
  • available for 2 appointments on Wednesday or Friday (10-11, 11:30-12:30, 1:30-2:30, 3-4) in the period July 17 - Aug 4.

  If this sounds like you, you can register your interest by emailing david.mcquillan@op.ac.nz

  • Name
  • Days and times that you are available next week
  • Your reason for applying for this case study process
  • Cell phone number
• Hangi fundraiser - Pick up 16th June @ 1pm (June 2 2023)

   

  Please note change of date - pick up will not be 9th June, it will be 16th instead!

  Our New Zealand Certificate in Electrical Engineering students are fundraising for their trip to the Manapōuri Hydro Station. 

  Hangi fundraiser

  $15 each (the works, 3 meats, vegetables, stuffing)

  $10 (vegetarian option)

  Pick up 16 June @ 1pm, Poho

  To order please email: alliedtrades@op.ac.nz

  Payment to the team at Allied Trades, bottom floor of A Block

• Tapuae Gym closed King's Birthday (June 1 2023)

  Tapuae Gym will be closed on King's Birthday, Monday 5th June.

  We are open 9am-12pm on Saturday 3rd June and from 6am on Tuesday 6th June in case you want to reschedule your Monday move.

• Relevant Research - May 2023 (May 31 2023)

  We are looking forward to celebrating Professor Caro McCaw's promotion at her Inaugural Professorial Event in Dunedin on 7 June. You are most welcome to join us. Please click here for more details and to register.

  Then on 29 and 30 June we are hosting a Teaching Excellence Symposium, in Dunedin and online. Please register by 21 June if you would like to attend.

  We are also pleased to announce that the scope of Relevant Research is changing to an OPSITARA publication, reflecting our closer relationship with our colleagues at Southern Institute of Technology (SIT) and Ara Institute of Canterbury in the southern region of Te Pūkenga. The acronym OPSITARA has been used for several years already for our combined annual research symposium. We hope you enjoy reading more about the research by kaimahi (staff) and ākonga (learners) across the greater region.

  • Caring for older adults (Victoria Munro at OP, Fiona Soper and Michelle Eleno at SIT, and Janice Groube at Ara)
  • Bold and bright (Communication Design learner at OP)
  • Onwards and upwards (Mike Keppel at OP)
  • Learning disabled theatre (Tony McCaffrey at Ara)
  • In the dogbox (Product Design learner at OP)
  • Object lessons (Michael Greaves at OP)
  • Twin Peaks (postgraduate Sports learners at OP)
  • Wine fermentation (Jonathan Muhl at SIT)
  • An excellent adventure (Claire Goode at OP)
  • Transient workers' health (Nursing learners at OP)
  • The Power That Flows Through Us (Jon Wilson at OP)

  May 2023

• Pasifika Beat Showcase (May 30 2023)

  Mālō e lelei, Talofa lava, Taloha ni, Kia orana, Fakaalofa lahi atu, Namaste, Ni sa bula, Vinaka and warm Pacific greetings.

  Join us for an unforgettable evening on Friday 16 June at the inaugural Pasifika Beat Showcase, proudly organised by the School of Business, Year 3 Event Students in collaboration with Otago Polytechnic Te Pūkenga Pasifika team. We invite you to be a part of this special event and show your support.

  Immerse yourself in a night of captivating live cultural performances, featuring talented polytechnic and university students. Witness the vibrant expressions of Pasifika culture as our ākonga come together to showcase their incredible talents.

  This event is made possible by the generous support of Õtepoti Pasifika Arts Collective, Otago Polytechnic Te Pūkenga, and SPS Security. We are grateful for their commitment to promoting Pasifika arts and culture.

  Admission to this event is free, but we kindly request that you secure your spot by registering via Eventbrite. Hurry, as tickets are going fast! To conclude the evening, light refreshments will be served, offering a chance to connect and engage with fellow attendees.

  Don't miss out on this opportunity to celebrate and appreciate the rich diversity of Pasifika culture. Mark your calendars and join us for an unforgettable evening at the Pasifika Beat Showcase.

• Electronic Door access affected (May 24 2023)

  Kia ora koutou

  There is a software upgrade scheduled for Monday evening (29th May) which will affect the electronic doors for a short time between 8.30pm and 8.40pm.  You may not be able to enter a locked door at that time.  This should only last a few minutes if you are able to wait.

  As usual, please don't hesitate to ring the emergency after hours number 474 7290 (this is advised on most main entry doors) should you have further access or building issues.

  Thanks.

  Campus Services Department

• Free bike repair workshop in The Hub (May 22 2023)

  Need help fixing your bike? 

  Bring it to our FREE workshop in The Hub. 

  • Tuesday 30 May 
  • 11.00am-1.00pm 

  A bike is a great way to get around. No parking hassles, it keeps up your fitness and doesn't hurt the planet with any emissions! 

  But, they often cost a lot. 

  For those that can't really afford a new bike, you can check out the Community Bike Workshops at Valley Cycle Workshop (11 Allen Street, North East Valley, open Tues 3.30pm-5.30pm and Sat 9.30am-12.30pm) and those at the Crooked Spoke (111 Moray Place, open Wed 4.00pm-6.00pm and Fridays 4.00pm-8.00pm). 

  They have a range of donated, pre-loved adults' and children's bikes. 

  The friendly, volunteer bike mechanics will help you with repairs and tools to get one of these bikes ready to ride!

  A koha is appreciated.

   

   

• Bike rack relocation due to landscaping (stage 1) (May 17 2023)

  Access to the Hub via the ramp from the quad will be removed this week to allow Stage 1 landscaping work to commence outside He Toki Kai Te Rika (the new Trades Training building). This is likely to be for approx. 9 weeks and will give us occupancy access for semester 2 as planned. 

  We are still working on an interim solution for accessibility once this first stage is complete, and until the final landscape is complete which may well be into 2023. Accessibility access will still be available through the Forth St entrance.  

  We will need to remove the bike racks that are outside F Block facing the quad this week to enable Naylor Love to erect fencing and commence the work asap. Please can you use alternative bike racks tomorrow to allow us to move the racks while empty.

  The bike racks will be relocated to the Quad area but are not under cover.  There are alternative undercover bike racks outside the entrance to the Hub on Union St, and under the G Block archway.

  Please see a map here showing the location of the fencing.

   

• AKO espresso café on Harbour Terrace open (May 15 2023)

  Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday for three weeks (16 May - 1 June, 9.00am - 2.00pm).

  Home baked sweet and savoury treats prepared fresh each day.

  $3 coffee - buy 4 and get the 5th one free!

• Note to self - Market Day 25 May (May 15 2023)

  Our year one, Bachelor of Culinary Arts ākonga, are excitedly preparing for Market Day this week.

  Thursday 25 May from 10.00am.

  Home-baked breads, doughnuts, cakes, tarts and café baking.

  Our ākonga are really looking forward to showcasing their baking skills and have worked hard to develop a varied product list for you.

   

• Administrator - Te Ama Ako | Learning and Teaching (May 9 2023)

  Permanent, Part-time (15 hours/week)

  Tēnā koutou katoa

  We seek expressions of interest from current Otago Polytechnic | Te Pūkenga kaimahi who are looking to increase their hours of mahi as a learner-centred administrator within a high-performing successful team and fun environment.

  As an Administrator, you’ll provide school administration duties on various programmes run through our department ie NZCATT, IAmCapable and PGCLD.  You will be the first point of contact for our ākonga and provide administration support to them and kaimahi to enable an outstanding learning experience.  Your customer service skills will be outstanding.  You will have significant administration experience in both a back and front office environment.

  To be successful in this role you will have:

  • highly developed interpersonal skills
  • excellent written and oral communication skills
  • proficiency in MS Office
  • a positive and productive team attitude
  • a relevant qualification, or equivalent experience, in office administration at Level 4 is required but a relevant tertiary qualification at Level 6 or above is preferred
  • experience working with Moodle, Finance One, EBS and CRM would be preferred.

  Days and hours of work can be negotiated.  We welcome applications from individuals seeking the full 15 hours work or a portion of those hours.  Please outline in your application your maximum hours of work.

  To apply, please email vacancies@op.ac.nz  with your cover letter and CV by 5pm, Monday 15 May 2023

  For specific information contact Jo McDowell or Vanya Thurston.

   

• OPSA Interim President (May 3 2023)

  Kia Ora, 

  my name is Sarah McArthur, I am the OPSA Interim President for the remainder of 2023.

  I am a first year Bachelor of Social Services student. I have been a student here since 2021 and on the OPSA Advisory Board since 2022. I look forward to meeting everyone.

   

  Warm regards

  Sarah McArthur

• Manaaki lunch dining tomorrow, Wednesday 3rd May (May 2 2023)

  We have had a few seats become available for tomorrow's lunch (Wed 3rd May) in Manaaki - $25pp for two courses (includes complimentary tea or espresso beverage of your choice.)

  Menu subject to change depending on produce availability.  Email bookings@op.ac.nz (with dietaries if applicable) 

  Red leaf lunch menu 3/4 May - Booking times 11.45am, 12noon, 12.15pm, 12.30pm.

  Mains

  Warm hot smoked salmon on bubble and squeak with a poached egg and horseradish cream (gluten free)

  Sweet potato and a black bean burger, with nacho crumb, slaw, beetroot, kimchi and melted cheese with lemon and honey dressing and fries (vegetarian/contains nuts)

  Crumbed beef schnitzel on a creamy mash with sauerkraut, beans, and beef jus

  Desserts

  Date pudding with hot salted caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream

  Banoffee pie topped with caramelised banana with a sprinkling of peanut candy

  White chocolate mousse, spiced apples in a brandy snap and raspberry coulis

• Beauty Therapy Treatments (May 2 2023)

  It is evidence of treatment time again for the NZ Diploma in Beauty Therapy students. 

  The first one is Electrical body treatments. The sessions are Wednesday this week, and Tuesday and Wednesday for the next two weeks.  you can have multiple treatments as there are 5 different treatments to have, and you will be helping our students immensely with their assessment. 

  The sessions are morning 11am-12.30 and afternoon 1.30 - 3pm. 

  The cost is $10 per session. 

  If you have any medical conditions just check with me first to ensure you can have all of the treatments. 🙂  Safety first, always! 

  We have on offer:   

  Vacuum suction - fantastic for increasing our lymphatic and circulatory system, reduce puffiness, aids with cellulite reduction, improves skin texture and colour, and great for dry skin as we use an oil as the medium and it helps in removing the build up of dead skin cells. 

  G5 - this is a mechanical form of massage and fantastic for getting into the tight muscles and relieving muscle tension, again it increases our lymphatic and circulatory systems, aids in cellulite reduction, and removal of dead cells. 

  Infra red - this is a pre treatment and is essentially a heat lamp with added benefits.  Very soothing and warming.  Great for muscle tension, pain relief and increasing our circulatory system. 

  Faradic - this is a passive for of exercise where your muscles contract via electrodes which stimulate muscle to contract involuntarily.  Great for firming and toning. So, like going to the gym without the sweat. 😉 

  Microcurrent - this recontours the muscles and works at a deeper level.  Fantastic for lifting and toning. 

  Each session you will receive two machines and will take approximately 1 to 1 ½ hours depending on the treatments.  The students must do all the different types of machines in the 5 sessions available. 

  Please let me know if you would like to book in for any or all of the sessions.  🙂  Email jennie.jenkinson@op.ac.nz 

  Thank you in advance.

  The Beauty Therapy Team

• Our Sacred Māori Voices book launch (April 17 2023)

  Otago Polytechnic and Te Pūkenga Publishing Group are launching Our Sacred Māori Voices, a book about six Maori learners' journeys.

  Join us to celebrate the publication of this collection of first-hand reflective accounts, which contributes to the field of indigenous autoethnography by providing examples of a range of Māori voices and experiences. These authors come from a variety of backgrounds, with diverse early life experiences and a range of locations across Aotearoa New Zealand. Their unique narratives reflect the distinct and dynamic lives of growing up and being Māori.

  WHEN: 5pm to 6:30, Wednesday 26 April 2023
  WHERE: The Hub Atrium, Otago Polytechnic, Te Pūkenga - New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology, Forth Street, Dunedin

  Editors Associate Professors Kelli Te Maihāroa and Adrian Woodhouse will explain the kaupapa of the book. You will also hear from the Capable NZ graduates who so generously contributed their stories.

  This book celebrates the richness of diverse Māori voices, thereby contributing to a growing awareness and understanding of Māori lived realities, through the lens of different histories and seeds of hope for the next generations.

  Our Sacred Māori Voices was published in 2022 by Otago Polytechnic Press, part of Te Pūkenga Publishing Group.

  #OurSacredMaoriVoices

  • Click here to register to attend in person
  • Click here to register to attend online
• Teaching Excellence Symposium 29-30 June 2023 (February 14 2023)

  Whiria te tākata 

  Weave the people together 

  Teaching Excellence Symposium  

  29-30 June 2023 

   

  This inaugural Teaching Excellence symposium has five key themes, drawn from research by Goode (2021)1, in which she explored the trajectories and professional practice of Tertiary Teaching Excellence awardees. See Keys to Teaching Excellence diagram here.

    

  The five themes are:  

  • Building relationships (e.g. relationships with learners, colleagues, industry and networks)   
  • Focusing on learners (e.g. engaging, empowering and encouraging learners) 
  • Facilitating learning (e.g. sharing stories, co-constructing knowledge, and crafting facilitation skills)  
  • Creating the right environment (e.g. making learning enjoyable, enabling learners to feel valued and safe)  
  • Reflecting on practice (e.g. taking risks, staying current, and being authentic)  

  We are interested in presentations which focus on these themes in learning and teaching, and/or supporting learning.  

  Submissions should contribute to and inform current learning and teaching practices that support Teaching Excellence in adult education. Shared and co-presented submissions are welcome.   

  The symposium will be hosted online and on site at Otago Polytechnic, Dunedin. Attendance is free. Register here.  

   

  Abstract to provide the following information:  

  • Please send a 300-word abstract that outlines the planned content of your presentation and a 50 to 100-word bio.  
  • Indicate whether your preferred format is a 20-minute presentation or a 45-minute workshop. 
  • Use academic referencing (APA 7) where appropriate. 
  • Presenters will be invited to submit a full written paper to an issue of  ‘Scope: Learning and Teaching’ for publication in 2024. 
  • Please note:  All sessions must be presented in PowerPoint. 

   

  Submission guidelines: 

  • Abstract submissions should be sent in electronic format (e.g. Word document) for review and potential inclusion to Rhina.Chan@op.ac.nz by 13 March 2023.
  • On your cover page include: Name of presenter(s),
    contact email address and contact telephone number. 
  • Include a short biography of no more than 50 to100-words for each presenter. 
  • Please name your file with your surname(s) and title of presentation/workshop. 

  All submissions will be peer reviewed.  You will be advised of the outcome of your submission by 3 April 2023.  

  1. Goode, C. (2021). An excellent adventure: Investigating the stories of Tertiary Teaching Excellence awardees [Doctoral thesis, Otago Polytechnic]. https://hdl.handle.net/10652/5480

   

• Twilight's Edge: talk at DPAG (January 31 2023)

  DPAG Society Talk

  With artist Graham Fletcher

  Wednesday 15 February | 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM

    

  Twilight’s Edge
  Artist, Graham Fletcher discusses his works which explore complex cultural issues within a postcolonial context.  Fletcher will focus on his research and work undertaken while in residence at the Tylee Cottage, Whanganui in 2021.

  DPAG Auditorium

  [$5 cash at the door for non DPAG Society members]

  [image: GRAHAM FLETCHER Twilight’s Edge (Lake I) 2022. Oil on linen. Courtesy the artist]

• Whakapapa and Contemporary Fashion Practice: Call for Exhibition Proposals (December 12 2022)

  Past and present designers and makers linked to Fashion @ The School of Design Otago Polytechnic make connections to their whakapapa and ancestry through fashion design.

  EXHIBITION: Saturday 1 April – Thursday 6 April 2023, The Conservatory, HD Skinner Annex, Otago Museum

  CALL for EXHIBITION PROPOSALS - from people associated with fashion at Otago Polytechnic, to be held alongside the conference of the International Foundation of Fashion Technology Institutes (IFFTI), held in Dunedin, Aotearoa New Zealand. https://iffti2023.co.nz/
  
  

  1. He tāoka tuku iho: the treasures past down to us from ancestors, those tried and true wisdoms of old.
     Makers and designers with links to Fashion @ The School of Design are invited to submit one previously unexhibited piece of work – an object/fashion product/garment/digital artefact, that reflects the IFFTI conference theme of ‘Lines to the Past, Present, Future’, and their personal response to the article “Whakapapa Back: Mixed Indigenous Māori and Pākehā Genealogy and Heritage in Aotearoa/New Zealand.” (Connor, 2019).
     Connor, H, D. (2019). Whakapapa Back: Mixed Indigenous Māori and Pākehā Genealogy and Heritage in Aotearoa/New Zealand. Genealogy, 3 (73).
     https://doi.org/10.3390/genealogy3040073 https://www.mdpi.com/2313-5778/3/4/73/htm
  2. Each work for exhibition will also be inspired by a self-selected item with familial links to the maker/designer’s whakapapa/ancestry/past.

  Works will be double blind peer reviewed and selected for this group exhibition by a panel consisting of a fashion academic, designer, and museum curator.

  Selection will consider the dimensions of the installation and logistics (the designers installation plan, transport etc.)

  Please note, due to space constraints, numbers will be limited.

  ELIGIBILITY: Past & present staff, students, graduates, designers, makers, and collaborators with links to Fashion @ The School of Design; Otago Polytechnic; Aotearoa New Zealand.

  DATES:
  Friday 3 Feb 2023: Proposal Submission for exhibition selection deadline.
  Monday 20 Feb 2023: Notification of acceptance to exhibit.
  Monday 20 March: Submission of final work and catalogue/exhibition requirements.
  
  

  EXHIBITION PROPOSAL GUIDELINES:
  A 500-word (max) written outline of your proposed piece of work and how this explores and makes connections with your whakapapa, ancestry, past. Include an initial response to the Connor, 2019 article, linking your chosen inspirational item, and discussing your connection to the School of Fashion.

  • Please include title, date, medium, dimensions of final work, and the requirements for display in the exhibition.
  • As separate files, include four images maximum of the proposed work for exhibition and your inspirational item - High Res JPEGs.
  • In a separate file, include your Designer Bio (maximum 50 words)

  SUBMISSION: IFFTI@op.ac.nz - please put IFFTI exhibition proposal in subject line.

  CONDITIONS OF EXHIBITING:

  • The exhibiting designer is responsible for technologies and specialised equipment needed for installation. The curators may have plinths, covered plinths and dress forms available.
  • The install and deinstall dates will be communicated to successful exhibitors. (Around Fri 31 March 2023 install, Thurs 6 April 2023 deinstall – after 4pm)
  • All transport arrangements and costs to and from the gallery in Dunedin, and full insurance cover is the designer’s responsibility.
  • The designer must be associated with Fashion @ Otago Polytechnic.

  Selected works will receive final exhibition and catalogue submission guidelines with acceptance notification.

  Download PDF of call for proposals

  Image credits: Designer – Libby Callaghan; Photographer – George Park, Model – Eva Meeuws

• Scope 2023 submissions close 30 April 2023 (September 16 2022)

  Scope: Contemporary Research Topics is series of peer-reviewed open access journals published annually in November by Otago Polytechnic Press. Otago Polytechnic Ltd is a subsidiary of Te Pūkenga. For previous issues and author guidelines and malpractice statement please see www.thescopes.org. For more information on the details of the call, formats accepted etc please contact the Editor for the journal.  

  SUBMISSIONS CLOSE 30 APRIL 2023: 

  Learning and Teaching Issue 12 

  The journal Scope (Learning and Teaching) is concerned with views, critical debate and reflections on learning and teaching theory and practice. It seeks to address current topical matters in the field of tertiary education. Its focus is on building a sense of community amongst researchers from an array of New Zealand institutions with the goal of linking with a wider international community. 

  ISSN: 1179-951X (print), ISSN: 1178- 9528 (online)  

  Submissions to Trish.Chaplin-Cheyne@op.ac.nz  

  Theme for 2023: Open. We are particularly interested in pieces which deal to the opportunities, challenges, concepts and critical thinking that inform contemporary understandings of learning and teaching as we enter a new era of higher education under Te Pūkenga (New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology).

  Work-based Learning Issue 5  

  The journal Scope (Work-based Learning) focuses on contemporary research in assessment of prior learning, learning in, for, and about work, and professional practice. It is concerned with critical debate about practice, theory, and history, and their relationships as manifested in the experiences of learners, practitioners, and researchers in work-based learning and professional practice.   

  ISSN 2703-6227 (print) ISSN 2703-6235 (online)   

  Submissions to henk.roodt@op.ac.nz and martin.andrew@op.ac.nz   

  Theme for 2023: the Learner. Scope Work-Based Learning 5 focuses on the work-based or professional practice learner. We invite papers, reports, reflections, artefacts, and other forms of research that put the learner first. We seek papers by learners, with learners and for learners. This issue puts the learner at the centre, and considers studies of learner experience, learner research and learner-centred teaching and learning. If learners are at the heart of your mahi, then we seek your research study. 

  We are looking for studies where the learner is first: first author, first priority; even your first ever paper. Scope (Work-Based Learning) 5 encourages learners to contribute solo pieces, or to sign up their mentors for a collaboration – with the mentor as your support act. This issue allows the learner to shine, and for learner contributions to be where they should be: at the centre of learner-centredness. We encourage facilitators and mentors to rally their learners, and we encourage learners to approach their mentors and say, ‘let’s write a paper together’. We support collaboration, togetherness and sense of belonging! Get together, be together, work together, and create a paper for our fully peer-reviewed quality assured journal. 

  Art and Design Issues 24 & 25

  The journal Scope (Art & Design) aims to engage discussion on contemporary research in the visual arts and design. It is concerned with views and critical debates surrounding issues of practice, theory, history and their relationships as manifested through the visual and related arts and activities, such as sound, performance, curation, tactile and immersive environments, digital scapes and methodological considerations. With New Zealand and its Pacific neighbours as a backdrop, but not its only stage, Scope (Art & Design) seeks to address the matters which concern contemporary artists and arts enquirers in their environments of practice. ISSN (print): 1177-5653; ISSN (online): 1177-5661. 

  Submissions to scope.editorial@op.ac.nz 

  Themes for 2023: Art & Design 24 Open; Art & Design 25 (Special Issue Fashion) Theme: Fashion 

  SUBMISSIONS CLOSE 30 JUNE 2023:

  Health and Wellbeing Issue 8 

  The journal Scope (Health & Wellbeing) aims to engage in multidisciplinary discussion on contemporary research in the landscape of health. It is concerned with views and critical debates surrounding issues of practice, theory, education, history and their relationships as manifested through the written and visual activities, such as original research, commentary, and critical debates concerning contemporary researchers, industry, society and educators in their environments of national and international practice. Scope’s focus is on building a sense of community amongst researchers in New Zealand and the international community.  

  ISSN (print): 2537-8872; ISSN (online): 2537-8880  

   Submissions to jean.ross@op.ac.nz 

  Theme for 2023: ‘Connection’ Submissions for Scope (Health & Wellbeing) 2023 will provide the opportunity for authors to consider, discuss and debate how connection is understood in relation to health and wellbeing. Connection is about a relationship between two or more things, or groups, or people. We make a connection when we catch our second bus for the journey, pick up the dog lead and see the hound leap excitedly at us, access the internet, or have an ah-ha moment when something we read or hear about connects with something we know. Connection between self and concepts, ideas, and theory is fundamental to learning. Connection underpins collaboration, and it is through collaborative work that boundaries expand, and new understandings emerge. Connection is defined by Brene Brown as “the energy that exists between people when they feel seen, heard, and valued” (http://brenebrown. com/art/tgoi-connection). Connection between people and within communities is fundamental to collective and individual wellbeing. The concept of whakapapa encapsulates the ultimate in connection. Being ‘the process of layering one thing upon another’ whakapapa helps us understand that there is connection between now and the past, between all people, and between people and the rest of the natural world. Connection is all powerful and all important.

  SUBMISSIONS DEFERRED

   

  Kaupapa Kai Tahu 7

  The journal’s subtitle indicates the importance of the Memorandum of Understanding through which the Papatipu Rünaka ki Arai-Te-Uru became iwi partners of Otago Polytechnic. Kaupapa Kāi Tahu is on the one hand a showcase of Kāi Tahu, Māori and other iwi research at Otago Polytechnic and, on the other hand, an outcome of a growing commitment to Māori research aspirations at Otago Polytechnic and with the Māori community. 

  ISSN (print): 2253-1866; ISSN (online): 2253-1874

  Submissions to: scott.klenner@op.ac.nz

  Theme: Tino Rakatirataka: thinking, pursuing and achieving sovereignty and self-determination.

• Ceremony to mark raising of Māori flag at Otago Polytechnic - all invited (September 8 2022)

  We're holding a ceremony to mark the raising of the Tino Rangatiratanga flag on Monday 12 September at 12 noon and everyone is invited.

  The flag raising ceremony will be happening at the Forth Street entrance to the Dunedin Campus and will be followed by kai in The Hub. It's been hosted jointly by Otago Polytechnic and the Otago Polytechnic Students' Association (OPSA). 

  All Dunedin-based kaimahi and ākonga have received an email invite to this event but all staff and learners are more than welcome to attend. 

   The elements of the Tino Rangatiratanga flag , otherwise known as the Māori Flag, represent the three realms:

  • Te Korekore, potential being (black, top)
  • Te Whai Ao, coming into being (red, bottom)
  • Te Ao Mārama, the realm of being and light (white, centre)

  The flag will fly underneath the New Zealand flag (on the same flagpole).

  “This is an exciting step,” says Megan Gibbons.

  “Although we have flown the Māori flag in the past, from next Monday it will be a permanent fixture.

  “The Tino Rangatiratanga flag is a symbol of this land and complements the New Zealand flag. Flying the two flags together upholds and enhances our relationship with Māori.”

• Prototype EV bike a vehicle to ongoing learning (December 15 2021)

  One of the showpieces of Otago Polytechnic’s recent Engineering Technology Showcase, a prototype EV bike is best regarded as a vehicle to ongoing learning benefits.

  The work included one team working out how to make the EV bike accelerate, while another team was tasked with solving the complicated issue of regenerative braking.

  As one New Zealand Diploma of Engineering (Electrical) learner says: “We’ve had to come up with solutions that simply don’t exist in any textbooks. But we got there through problem-solving.”

  Academic and technician William Early, who works across Otago Polytechnic’s EPICentre and the Research and Postgraduate Studies office, describes the EV Bike project as not one challenge, but a series of interconnected learning opportunities.

  As such it has challenged the New Zealand Diploma of Engineering students (as well as Bachelor-level learners) to reach beyond existing research.

  “Frankly, the depth of learning that has gone on is beyond the level of their programme. They have learned how to innovate in teams, how to research, how to problem-solve, how to fail and learn.

  “In short, they have learnt how to learn heaps.

  “I came up with the overall concept in 2019, and from there we build the shell of the bike.

  “Yes, the physical shell of the bike serves to stir people’s imaginations, but the project involves a range of disciplines, including design, electrical engineering and mechanical engineering.

  “At one point, we had roughly 40 people, spread across 14 teams, involved in projects related to the bike. And despite them completing a range of challenges, there were some aspects that needed to be explored and developed further,” William explains.

  “More recently, we have been working on a controller to run the electric motor. In fact, over the past year we’ve gone back to the drawing board and redesigned all of the componentry and circuits.”

  Learn more about our Engineering programmes

   

   

   

• Student delighted to be back after 18 months offshore (December 15 2021)

  What was supposed to be a quick trip home to New Caledonia turned into quite a journey for Bachelor of Applied Management student Margo Ballesta.

  Margo started her degree in early 2019 but had to urgently return home to New Caledonia for family reasons in March 2020.

  It was supposed to be just a five-day trip, so she took only the essentials and left all of her precious belongings in her Auckland flat. However, the day before she was due to return to New Zealand her flight was cancelled due to the pandemic.

  “I was living with uncertainty as I did not know how things would evolve.”

  Visa complications meant she had to take a break from her study but was able to resume online this June. Shortly after that, she heard she was one of 1,000 international students selected to return to New Zealand as part of a Government border exemption.

  However, she first had to secure a highly sought-after spot in managed isolation, which took three months. When she finally did manage to get a room, the booking was for three days later.

  “I was feeling it was unreal that I would get back in three days, but I took the first opportunity that came up and managed to do all the necessary things to be ready for my long trip.”

  The trip from New Caledonia to New Zealand is usually just two hours, however, Margo had to take a detour.

  “I could not get a straight flight from Noumea to New Zealand, I had to go through Tokyo, then Singapore and then Auckland, only to then know that my MIQ was in Rotorua.”

  “Kind of a world trip to go two hours away from my home country.”

  She was delighted to get back to Auckland and all of her belongings 18 months after she’d left, but by that stage, Auckland was in its most recent lockdown.

  “So, I did not get back to the campus ever since 2019, and as of today we are currently still in lockdown Level 3.”

  Despite these trials, Margo is positive about her study experience. She says online study has been great because she enjoys learning independently.

  She thought team assignments would be a big challenge in the online setting, but they went better than expected.

  “We managed pretty well to communicate almost every day; we often did calls through Microsoft Teams. It was cool to see that we could manage to adapt and work efficiently.” 

  She says she can ask questions whenever she needs to, which has been beneficial.

  “With today’s technology most of us have social media, and that allows us to keep in touch with both classmates and teachers.”

  Her tips for others studying from home are to listen, take notes, and ask questions whenever you have doubts.

  “The main thing is to stay motivated because you can easily get distracted or just lose motivation, for that I created a routine to keep myself productive.”

  Margo’s hard work and dedication have paid off. She recently received an Excellent Scholar Award for top marks in her programme.

  She says being stuck offshore was not easy, but she was lucky to be with family and friends who motivated her not to give up. 

  “This experience taught me that things can happen unexpectedly. We never know what tomorrow will bring. There is no point in having regrets or stressing out, as it won't solve anything.”

  “It taught me to always try to live in the present moment without thinking about the past and future, to just enjoy living in the now and taking care of myself and my close ones.”

• $1.19m boost for Dunedin’s game development sector (December 14 2021)

  Dunedin’s game development sector is ending the year on a high note following a $1.19 million funding allocation from the New Zealand Centre of Digital Excellence (CODE).

  The latest recipients of CODE grants were announced at a function at Otago Polytechnic’s Forth St Campus in early December – which included an explanation of Otago Polytechnic’s exciting new game development focus.

  CODE is setting aside $190,000 to co-invest in the development of vocational training with Otago Polytechnic.

  From February 2022, Otago Polytechnic’s Bachelor of Information Technology and Bachelor of Design (Communication) degrees will include training in game design, game production and technical art for video games.

  Otago Polytechnic recently signed an MOU with Swedish-based Futuregames, regarded among the best game development learning providers in the world. This relationship was helped facilitated by Enterprise Dunedin and Stockholm-based gaming industry leader Tabitha Hayes in 2019.

  Per Myren, Head of Development Futuregames, says Futuregames have been supporting and working closely with the fast-growing Swedish gaming industry for the last 15 years.

  “It's been hard, fun and successful and we’d like to do the same with Otago Polytechnic and CODE.

  “To nurture and help talent and students to be professional is the core of gaming education”.

  Futuregames will provide professional development for Otago Polytechnic staff, mentoring for student projects, review and feedback on Otago Polytechnic’s games-related courses, as well as a range of learning materials.

  “As a partner in CODE, Otago Polytechnic welcomes this funding, which will help us continue to develop and implement gaming-specific vocational education,” says Dr Megan Gibbons, Chief Executive, Otago Polytechnic.

  “Otago Polytechnic is continuing to build a multidisciplinary learning team dedicated to building games industry-ready graduates,” Dr Gibbons says.

  “This includes recently recruiting several highly-regarded games developers from throughout New Zealand, who will provide a mixture of onsite and online instruction and mentoring.

  Murray Strong CODE Steering Group Chair and Te Pūkenga Council Chair says these latest developments are testament to the collaborative abilities of all partners within CODE.

  “It speaks to a future-focused and industry-relevant approach, which is a key mandate of both CODE and Te Pūkenga.

  “In Otago Polytechnic’s case, it will ensure graduates are work-ready and able to immediately apply their skills in a range of gaming industry contexts, and through the grant streams and industry support, CODE is building a platform to welcome students into the workforce once they graduate.”

  Mayor of Dunedin Aaron Hawkins says CODE is already making a tangible impact across multiple sectors in the city, just one year into operations.

  “This latest milestone in the CODE journey is another example of the close collaboration between our local, national and international partners. This is the key to us creating the most effective game development eco-system in New Zealand”

  “Through this funding, CODE is nurturing start-up businesses and creating jobs in a globally significant industry, whilst also supporting the creation of vocational pathways through the exciting programmes about to launch at Otago Polytechnic,” Mayor Hawkins says.

  OTHER FUNDING

  The third and most significant round of grants to be awarded by CODE so far, the Government-backed entity is enabling nine Dunedin game development studios to progress new or existing projects to the next stage.

  The first-ever CODE Scale-Up funding grant of $250,000 was awarded to the established Dunedin company, Runaway Play, supporting the creation of an additional team to work on a new, yet unannounced game. The grant is being match-funded by the company, which has already moved into the pre-production stage of the game’s development.

  A total of $150,887 has been allocated to four applicants within the Kickstart category, which supports the production of commercially viable game prototypes. These included C&C Art Studio Ltd, Longjaw Ltd, Retipora Studios Ltd and Transformative Games Ltd.

  Within the Start Up funding category, which supports strong existing prototype games with further development and production, four local studios will benefit from a total of $599,730 in grants.  These include Atawhai Interactive Tapui Ltd, NutriBlocks Ltd and Spookysoft Ltd, all of which received earlier CODE funding, and Usual Suspects Studios Ltd.

  CODE’s fourth Kickstart and Start Up funding round is due to open for expressions of interest in February 2022, alongside the ongoing Scale Up and Service Start funding categories.

  Application details for the CODE funding round can be found at: www.dunedinnz.com/code/code-funding

  CODE is funded by the government’s Kānoa - Regional Economic Development & Investment Unit. 

• First for Otago Polytechnic as academic completes Masters entirely in te reo Māori (December 13 2021)

  Shaun Tahau has created history at Otago Polytechnic, successfully completing a Master of Professional Practice – entirely in te reo Māori.

  It’s been a significant year for Shaun -- in August, he was appointed to an exciting new role, Tumuaki Whakawhanake/Director Māori Capability at Otago Polytechnic.

  Shaun, who completed his MPP in early December, will graduate in March 2022 with distinction.

  He started the journey towards his MPP in 2018 when, as Kaiārahi for the Kaitohutohu Office at Otago Polytechnic, he began the development of the Rautaki Reo Māori (Otago Polytechnic’s Māori Language Strategy).

  “This was an opportunity for me to develop my understanding in a strategic space, but to also share my passion and lifelong mātauranga (knowledge) pertaining to te reo Māori me ōna tikanga (the Māori language and customs),” Shaun reflects.

  The development of the Rautaki Reo Māori took just over six months, and involved consulting with many rōpū (groups) from Kōmiti Kāwanataka, Kotahi Mano Kaika and Otago Polytechnic’s Executive Leadership Team (ELT), before being approved by the Kōmiti Kawanataka and ELT in December of 2018.

  As he researched and developed the Rautaki Reo Māori, Shaun realised there were no examples of this mahi being done in the tertiary sector. Therefore, he saw this as an opportunity to enrol in the Master of Professional Practise (MPP), with a focus on Organisational Leadership and Change and using his experience in developing the Rautaki Reo Māori.

  As he began the process of enrolling in the MPP and reflected on the significance of the Rautaki Reo Māori, Shaun decided that if he was going to focus on the strategy, it would only make sense to do it all in te reo Māori. At that point, no one else had completed their MPP in te reo Māori.

  This posed many challenges for Shaun as he navigated being a learner and needing support, but his role developing policies and processes to support Māori learners helped overcome these barriers.

  “The journey has been a great learning opportunity for me, understanding what Māori learners can face if they request to submit their assessments in te reo Māori,” Shaun says.

  “Te Reo Māori is an official language of Aotearoa New Zealand, and has been since 1987. As an organisation, we should support staff and learners to continue the appropriate use of te reo Māori in all domains.”

  Shaun describes his appointment in August as Tumuaki Whakawhanake/Director Māori Capability at Otago Polytechnic as “both an honour and a privilege”.

  Dr Megan Gibbons, Chief Executive Otago Polytechnic: “Shaun brings a wealth of experience into the role, including knowledge about the organisation, that will be instrumental in working with Colleges and Service Areas to assist them to build capability. The more we know and can do, the better the outcomes for our tauira will be. I am thrilled to have Shaun in this role.”

  Working within the Office of the Kaitohutohu (KTO), Shaun’s role includes overseeing Otago Polytechnic’s Māori Workforce Strategy and Action Plan and continuing to embed and integrate the Māori Strategic Framework across Colleges, Schools and Service Area. Shaun is also the lead contact for Te Pūkenga in relation to Te Pae Tawhiti, Te Tiriti o Waitangi Excellence Framework for Te Pūkenga, which focuses on Māori staff capability and development.  

  Also, as Tumuaki Whakawhanake, Shaun will continue to lead the implementation of Otago Polytechnic’s Te Rautaki Reo Māori/Māori Language Strategy – a first for our sector – and also be the Polytechnic’s key contact for matters concerning Māori staff capability and development in relation to Te Pae Tawhiti, Te Tiriti o Waitangi Excellence Framework for Te Pūkenga.

   

• OPAIC joins international sustainability movement (December 9 2021)

  Otago Polytechnic Auckland International Campus joined an international movement with the launch of our AIC Green Office Toitū yesterday.

  This new office will support students and staff to act on sustainability initiatives.

  At yesterday’s online launch, Deputy CEO: Academic, Leoni Schmidt, said the AIC Green Office Toitū is part of an international movement started in the Netherlands. We are the first campus in New Zealand to connect with this movement.

  Employability Manager, Dani Mao, said the new Māori name Toitū carries meanings of enduring, untouched, pure, protected, and sustainable. She said all these meanings give a sense of strength and empowerment.

  She said she’d had positive feedback from industry partners about the initiative with many keen to be involved and explore collaborations.

  Alumni have also expressed their interest in mentoring current students during their research and projects.

  Student Success Advisor, Christiaan William, said the office would be jointly led by staff and students with the backing of the Executive Leadership Team. He said a lot of good would come from the initiative.

  Applied Management Head of Department, Russell Harray, said the office would be multidisciplinary and also include outside organisations.

  He said it reflects OPAIC’s values and supports research opportunities for both undergraduate and postgraduate students in the area of sustainability.

  He congratulated students who had become involved in the project at its outset saying their involvement would add value to OPAIC and look great on their CVs.

  Principal Lecturer, Marianne Cherrington, talked about the strategic objectives for sustainability we have here at OPAIC. She said many of our research outputs had sustainability themes and this office would help us model sustainable practices.

• Otago Polytechnic learner wins architectural award for wetland vision (December 7 2021)

  Otago Polytechnic Architectural Studies learner Georgia Pope has won the 2021 New Zealand Institute of Architects (NZIA) Southern Branch Student Award, announced recently.

  The Otago Polytechnic Bachelor of Architectural Studies learner’s concept envisages restoring a wetland at Forbury Park Raceway and the adjacent Kettle Park sportsground.

  The “Kaituna Wetland” proposal would collect and hold excess water using natural filtration, creating a healthy wetland to help reduce the risk of flooding in nearby residential areas.

  It would also utilise extensive native planting to help protect St Kilda/St Clair beaches from erosion, including restoring Kettle Park back to natural sand dunes to protect the wetland from sea swells.

  “Recovering the former ecological and landscape values of the wetland would reduce flooding and mitigate the effects of climate change, including rising sea levels,” Georgia says.

  “My design allows for water to come in from either end of Forbury and a backflow valve releases the water out to the ocean when a certain water level is reached.

  As well as paths and boardwalks, Georgia’s design would include a community centre comprising a series of connected and standalone spaces accommodating scientific, educational, recreational and retail purposes.

  The final-year Architectural Studies learner says it took several months to research this area of South Dunedin, which used to be a large wetland called Kaituna.

  “My design then took another 3-4 months, most of which focused around landscape and environment and then integrating the buildings within that context. Wetlands are complex ecological systems.”

  Comprising a mix of fresh water from the Caversham hills and tidal seawater from Otago Harbour, Kaituna was a habitat for native birds, fish and plants. It was a significant hunting and gathering area for many generation of Māori.

  After European settlement, Kaituna was drained and reclaimed for farming and then urban development.

• Tapuae Gym - From Fri 3 Dec - entry requires 'My Vaccine Pass' (December 3 2021)

  This information is for current members of Tapaue Gym.

  To keep our people and communities safe and allow our gym to operate with no limits you will need to show your Covid-19 vaccination certificate as a requirement of entry and use of our gym from Friday 3 Dec 2021. You will only need to do this once while your ‘My vaccine pass’ is valid.  

  The doors will be locked and you will only be able to access the gym with an access swipe tag. 

  Please continue scanning the QR code and signing in to your session on arrival.  There will be no outdoor exercise at this time.

  What do I need to do? 

  We ask you to please provide proof of your vaccination status before your next use of the gym.

  We will also check your membership and contact details are up to date. 

  To do this please present your vaccine pass at our school admin office: 

  Institute of Sport, Exercise and Health

  Sargood Centre, 40 Logan Park Drive, Dunedin

  Monday to Friday - between 10 am and 2 pm 

  Once we have confirmed your vaccination status, your current membership is valid, and your contact details are up to date, external members will be issued with a swipe access.  Otago Polytechnic students and staff will have access added to their Student or Staff ID card. Please note there will be a delay while access is loaded to your ID card before you can access the gym.

  External members will also need to sign a short declaration around use of the swipe/access card and that the expiry date on your vaccination pass is correct.

  All access will expire end of Saturday 19 February 2022, which is the end of our summer holiday gym season. 

  If you need still to organise your My Vaccine Pass you can get find out how to do that here

  Why can't I just email you the information?

  We need to keep our inbox clear for dealing with student issues around graduation and enrolment for next year. We are also not able to keep any copies of people's 'My Vaccine Pass', so request that you please refrain from emailing them to us as we will have to delete your email.

  I've already shared my vaccination status with Otago Polytechnic - why do I have to do this again?

  Information supplied as part of your employment or student enrolment was for that purpose only and for privacy reasons we have to request it again for this purpose.  Also, for entry to Tapaue Gym the vaccination status can only be supplied in the form of 'My Vaccine Pass' to meet the requirements of the Covid Protection Framework (traffic light system) and you would have supplied the information previously in a different format.

  What if I don’t want to share my vaccination status? 

  If you do not choose to share your vaccination status with us we are able to refund the remainder of your membership. 

  Please contact sport@op.ac.nz should you wish to pursue this option.

  What if I have questions or concerns?   

  We know this is a difficult situation, and that people hold a range of feelings and thoughts about vaccinations.

  Please ensure you seek information about vaccines from reliable sources such as the Unite Against Covid 19 Facts about Vaccination or talk to a trusted health professional.

• MPP in te reo Māori a first for OP (December 2 2021)

  Kei āku iti, kei āku rahi, e ngā kauwae reo rangatira, tēnā koutou katoa.

  Shaun Tahau made a slice of Otago Polytechnic history this week, successfully completing a Master of Professional Practice – entirely in te reo Māori.

  It’s been a significant year for Shaun, who was appointed to an exciting new role, Tumuaki Whakawhanake/Director Māori Capability, in August.

  Shaun, who will graduate in March 2022 with distinction, began the journey towards his MPP in 2018 when, as Kaiārahi for the Kaitohutohu Office, he began the development of the Rautaki Reo Māori (Otago Polytechnic’s Māori Language Strategy).

  “This was an opportunity for me to develop my understanding in a strategic space, but to also share my passion and lifelong mātauranga (knowledge) pertaining to te reo Māori me ōna tikanga (the Māori language and customs),” Shaun reflects.

  The development of the Rautaki Reo Māori took just over six months, consulting with many rōpū (groups) from Kōmiti Kāwanataka, Kotahi Mano Kaika and our own Executive Leadership Team (ELT), before being approved by the Kōmiti Kawanataka and ELT in December of 2018.

  Shaun realised that through the research he had done during the development of the Rautaki Reo Māori, there were no examples of this mahi being done in the tertiary sector. Therefore, he saw this as an opportunity to enrol in the Master of Professional Practise (MPP), with a focus on Organisational Leadership and Change and using his experience in developing the Rautaki Reo Māori.

  As he began the process of enrolling in the MPP and reflected on the significance of the Rautaki Reo Māori, Shaun decided that if he was going to focus on the strategy, then it would only make sense to do it all in te reo Māori. At that point, no one else had completed their MPP in te reo Māori.

  This posed many challenges for Shaun as he navigated being a learner and needing support, but his role developing policies and processes to support Māori learners helped overcome these barriers.

  “The journey has been a great learning opportunity for me, understanding what Māori learners can face if they request to submit their assessments in te reo Māori,” Shaun says.

  “Te Reo Māori is an official language of Aotearoa New Zealand, and has been since 1987. As an organisation, we should support staff and learners to continue the appropriate use of te reo Māori in all domains.”

  Shaun would like to acknowledge all of those that supported him during his MPP journey, including Janine Kapa and the entire KTO and TPO whānau, to Megan Potiki and Stacey Gullen-Reynolds.

  Most importantly, he thanks his whānau, Gianna and Rangiaho.   

  Toi te kupu, toi te mana, toi te whenua

  The permanace of the language, prestige and land

  Read more about:

  Te Rautaki Reo Māori       

  Learner Assessment in Te Reo Māori  

• Women’s Cricket World Cup 2022 (November 24 2021)

  Otago Polytechnic Chief Executive Dr Megan Gibbons dressed up in Victorian garb yesterday as part of a promotional campaign for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2022, which New Zealand will host.

  She joined others in a game of cricket against the Otago Sparks at Olveston, Dunedin, as the city joined other centres in a “100 days to go” campaign.

  Starting in Tauranga on 4 March, the tournament features 31 games over 31 days and includes three round robin matches at the University Oval, Dunedin (5 March, 7 March and 9 March).

  Buy tickets for Women’s Cricket World Cup 2022

• Charity House raises $115k for community groups (November 22 2021)

  Otago Polytechnic’s annual Charity House auction on Saturday November 20 raised $115,000 for a range of community groups.

  Around 70 people attended the 15^th Charity House auction, at which a fully furnished four-bedroom home was sold for $365,000, eclipsing the previous record (set in 2020) of $325,000. 

  At the conclusion of the bidding process at Otago Polytechnic’s L Block, Dr Megan Gibbons, Otago Polytechnic Chief Executive, presented Catalytic Foundation Chair John Gallaher with a cheque for $115,000. 

  “The auction, run by BayleysMetro, attracted a lot of interest and excitement,” Dr Gibbons says. 

  Each year, Otago Polytechnic carpentry students have built a four-bedroom home with guidance from lecturers and the generous support of many local businesses.   

  “As well as raising funds for charity, the project is an excellent example of the applied learning approach that Otago Polytechnic provides for our learners,” Dr Gibbons says. 

  “Again, it shows our people make a better world.”  

  Catalytic Foundation (formerly United Way NZ), will distribute the funds to frontline community charities within Otago.

  Mr Gallaher: “Catalytic Foundation would like to thank Otago Polytechnic, its staff and carpentry students as well as the local businesses who contributed so generously to make this project happen.” 

  Over the past 14 years Catalytic Foundation has distributed around $1.5 million to Otago community charities – thanks to funds raised from Charity House, a project made possible through the generosity of the many sponsors who donate time and materials.

  Teresa Moore, Catalytic Foundation Chief Executive, says research shows Otago charities require support this year more than ever before, due to the surge in demand for their services.

  “In March 2021 we donated a further $100,000 from the Charity House auction to 26 charities in Otago.

  “As community charities and not-for-profit organisations seek to address major social issues, most of them lack the operational resources and secure funding to keep essential staff employed. Covid-19 has certainly added to this strain,” she says. 

  “The Catalytic Foundation distributes funding from the Charity House proceeds to frontline community-based charities who do not have large marketing or fundraising resources in-house. The Charity House contribution makes a significant impact to their ability to help Otago communities in need.”

  *Three unfurnished houses were also sold at auction for lesser amounts.

• The positive power of a good idea (November 17 2021)

  Otago Polytechnic Bachelor of Design (Product) third-year learners Emily Mackenzie and Angus Lewry are great believers in the positive power of a good idea. 

  Involved in this week’s “Debrief” exhibition, which celebrated the vibrance and vision of final-year learners studying Product Design (as well as Communication Design and Fashion Design), the duo say the programme has opened their eyes to a broad range of possibilities. 

  Although it’s difficult to highlight any one aspect of the Product Design programme, they believe Otago Polytechnic’s generous Intellectual Property policy has empowered them, giving the learners the confidence to fully explore their ideas in the knowledge they hold the rights to their creations. 

  “It means we don’t hold back when we bring an idea to the table. It’s a good feeling. And the feedback and help we get from our awesome lecturers helps, too. 

  “We enjoy the flexibility of our teachers, who allow us to really explore our creativity. In addition, we are challenged to be human-centred, to put the user first. 

  “There is also a strong focus on collaboration, both within our classes, but also with industry.” 

  As an example of industry engagement, Angus and Emily have spent a day a week as paid interns at a Dunedin engineering firm, where they have helped establish a sub-brand, Janet Joseph. 

  A result of a Callahan Innovation grant, the internships have provided the pair with a broad range of opportunities to develop their technical skills and interpersonal abilities. 

  The Janet Joseph brand has a range of products on offer, including upcycled industrial lighting fixtures, unique lighting designs, and outdoor braziers. 

  “It has a range of products, including upcycled industrial lighting fixtures, unique lighting designs, and braziers. 

  “We well as designing some of these elements, we have been involved in content creation, social media and marketing for Janet Joseph. 

  “Within our roles outside of class, we have had a lot of freedom to offer our ideas to the market, receive critical feedback and help develop the brand.” 

• A byte-sized taste of the world of video games (November 17 2021)

  From a surreal puzzler to a shark-infested treasure hunt, Otago Polytechnic’s Hub has provided a byte-sized taste of our learners’ technical skills and creative vision in recent days. 

  As part of our annual Student Showcase, Bachelor of Design (Communication) and Bachelor of Information Technology students have provided insights into their video game projects in an effort to promote new gaming pathways developed within both programmes. 

  New Zealand’s games scene is a multi-million-dollar industry. Game development studios in New Zealand are in need of specialist game designers and developers.  

  Recognising this growth, Otago Polytechnic has created game development pathways within relevant existing qualifications.  

  From 2022 our Bachelor of Information Technology and Bachelor of Design (Communication) degrees will offer a focus on game development. 

  Learners will graduate with the wider skills and knowledge within those degree programmes, as well as be armed with a portfolio of skills and experience tailored to the games industry.  

  In other words, learner projects such as "Death, Guns, and Slippers", "Adventure on Shark Island", "Factorum" and "Subject 74", are more than the sum of their bleeps and blurps.  

  Think of them as a flowchart to a seriously fun future. 

   

• A new look for "Collections” (November 17 2021)

  Lights, camera, action . . . the wonderful world of Otago Polytechnic Fashion Design learners is being captured on film.

  One of the highlights of Otago Polytechnic’s annual Student Showcase, “Collections” takes on a new format this year.

  Instead of a runway show, the Year-3 and Post-grad Fashion Design learners’ work will be celebrated via two live film screenings at Otago Polytechnic on Friday 19 November (5.30pm and 8pm).

  Otago Polytechnic has partnered with Allied Productions, whose film crew has been capturing the energy and vision of our fashion learners – and will screen the video via broadcast and digital channels (including the Otago Daily Times) at 8pm on Friday 19 November.

  In addition to the live screening, Otago Polytechnic’s Hub will also host an exhibition of selected Fashion learners’ work, on display as part of the wider “Debrief” exhibition, which celebrates other Design disciplines, including Product Design and Communication Design.

  “Although our Fashion Design learners are adept at embracing change, I’m still coming to terms with just how positively and powerfully they’ve responded to this latest challenge,” says Dr Margo Barton, Head of Fashion, Otago Polytechnic.

  “And a big thanks must go to Allied Productions for their support of our learners. Their depth of coverage and collaborative approach is important – not only to Otago Polytechnic, but to all the learners involved.

  “Although the complications of adhering to Covid levels meant it was unfeasible to stage a runway show, our learners now have a powerful digital artefact, in the form of this video coverage, that captures and celebrates their creativity.”

  Matthew Holdridge, Commercial Manager Allied Press Ltd, says: "Allied Productions and Channel 39-Southern Television have been proud to sponsor Otago Polytechnic’s School of Fashion Collections shows for over 16 years and have supported the development of the student fashion showcase by way of coverage of the catwalk shows.

  “This year we worked alongside Otago Polytechnic’s staff and students to produce a digital feature in place of the live show.”

  Read the Otago Daily Times article 

   

• Good turn-out for Neurodiversity Symposium (November 11 2021)

  More than 60 people took part in today’s inaugural Neurodiversity Symposium, hosted by Otago Polytechnic.

  More than 40 people attended in-person and another 20 tuned in online for presentations that included keynote speakers Mike Styles and Jolene Stockman, as well as short presentations from OP staff and students, who shared a range of perspectives on supporting diverse learners and teachers.

• Design duo double down for 'Debrief' exhibition (November 15 2021)

  Otago Polytechnic’s “Debrief” exhibition holds extra significance for two Bachelor of Design (Communication) students.

  Ella Montgomery and Emily Bell have spent the past 12 weeks planning, conceptualising and creating the look and feel for Debrief, which celebrates the vibrance and vision of final-year learners studying Product Design, Communication Design and Fashion Design.

  The overall feel and look might be inspired by clouds, but the pair have been firmly grounded by a workload that encompasses designing the physical exhibition space, to a unique font that evokes the spirit of the event, to a digital marketing campaign.

  To add to the pressure, all this work comprises their final-year major project.

  Ella and Emily have landed on the tagline ”Open Your Mind” for Debrief, which opens on Wednesday 17 November.

  “The tagline is about questioning what it is to be creative. It is also reflecting that, as designers, we are on a continual journey,” they explain.

  “We envision the Debrief exhibition space to be a dreamscape that takes the audience on a journey through the individual minds of our designers.

  “Clouds are a huge part of the overall concept for the exhibition – and we are utilising them as a feature element of the spatial design.”

  Dunedin company Ellis Fibre has kindly donated wool offcuts of duvet inners, which Ella and Emily have repurposed, tearing them into an assortment of fluffy cloud shapes.

  To draw visitors into the space (Otago Polytechnic’s Hub), a large LED screen will show a looped animation of the Debrief visual identity, which includes an abstract logo that utilises three shapes, representing the three disciplines within Otago Polytechnic’s School of Design: Product Design, Communication Design, and Fashion Design.

  “The abstract nature of the logo alludes to the cloud shapes found in our dreamscapes and also to surrealism in a contemporary manner.”

  Debrief:

  Otago Polytechnic, Forth St, Dunedin

  17-21 November, 10am-3pm

  Note: Student Showcase events, including Debrief, adhere to current Covid-19 Alert level guidelines and restrictions. Refer to our website for up-to-date information

• Otago Polytechnic set to host Charity House auction (November 11 2021)

  Otago Polytechnic will host its annual Charity House auction on Saturday November 20.

  Each year for the past 14 years, Otago Polytechnic carpentry students have built a
  four-bedroom home with guidance from lecturers and the generous support of many local businesses. 

  “The project is also an excellent example of the applied learning approach that Otago Polytechnic provides for all learners, while once again showing our people make a better world,” Dr Megan Gibbons, Otago Polytechnic Chief Executive, says.

  The Charity House auction is one of many events within Otago Polytechnic’s annual Student Showcase.

  Proceeds from the sale of the fully furnished Charity House go to the Catalytic Foundation (formerly United Way NZ), which distributes the funds to frontline community charities within Otago.

  Over the past 14 years the Catalytic Foundation has distributed around $1.5 million to Otago community charities – thanks to funds raised from Charity House, a project made possible through the generosity of the many sponsors who donate time and materials.

  Last year, about 80 people attended the auction at Otago Polytechnic’s L Block.

  Teresa Moore, Catalytic Foundation Chief Executive, says research shows Otago charities require support this year more than ever before, due to the surge in demand for their services.

  “In March 2021 we donated a further $100,000 from the Charity House auction to 26 charities in Otago.

  “As community charities and not-for-profit organisations seek to address major social issues, most of them lack the operational resources and secure funding to keep essential staff employed. Covid-19 has certainly added to this strain,” she says. 

  “The Catalytic Foundation distributes funding from the Charity House proceeds to frontline community-based charities who do not have large marketing or fundraising resources in-house. The Charity House contribution makes a significant impact to their ability to help Otago communities in need.

  “The Catalytic Foundation would like to thank Otago Polytechnic staff and carpentry students as well as the local businesses who contributed so generously to the fit-out of the houses and caring for their community.”

  Charity House Auction 

  12pm, Saturday 20 November 

  Otago Polytechnic L Block, 100 Anzac Ave, Dunedin

  Note: Otago Polytechnic’s Student Showcase events, including the Charity House Auction, adhere to current Covid-19 Alert level guidelines and restrictions. Refer to our website for up-to-date information 

• Dunedin School of Art SITE exhibition highlights eclectic variety (November 16 2021)

  Otago Polytechnic’s Dunedin School of Art will be transformed into an art gallery for the annual SITE exhibition, which showcases an eclectic variety of works by final-year Bachelor of Visual Arts and postgraduate learners.

  Opening on Friday 19 November, and running until Monday 22 November, SITE will feature works from eight art disciplines: ceramics, electronic arts, jewellery and metalsmithing, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture and textiles.

  Because of Covid protocols, there will be no official public opening. Members of the public are welcome to view the exhibition, but visitor numbers will be limited.

  “The pandemic has tested us in many ways,” says Dr Bridie Lonie, Head of the Dunedin School of Art.

  “The cohort of learners involved in SITE has had two lockdowns, each at significant moments in their studio pathways. Many turned to small projects, to more drawing, to more stitching, to smaller, more manageable components, then returned to the studio to flourish in our workshops.

  “Our students represent all ages, so there is not simply a ‘Millennial’ picture here; instead, it’s a cross-generational display of the concerns of those confronting today’s world.”

  For SITE, the Dunedin School of Art school is transformed into a gallery and work is curated based on students’ choice of location for their work.

  The exhibition fulfils two functions: public event and assessment.

  “Before the public see the exhibition, each student has stood in front of their work before an assessment panel, with supporting documentation, and justified their work in a short oral presentation,” Dr Lonie explains.

  “Groups of assessors move through the school in the week before SITE, and their decisions are passed by an external moderator from an equivalent institution. The students then remove the documentation, catalogue labels are attached throughout the school, and the exhibition is opened to the public.

  “For the graduate student, the exhibition represents the end of three years of undergraduate or one year of postgraduate study, with decisions and choices made that culminate in a small but representative set of works.”

  SITE:

  Dunedin School of Art, Riego St, Dunedin

  Friday 19 November, 5.30pm-7.30pm*

  Saturday 20 November 10am-4pm

  Monday 22 November 10am-4pm

  *Note: Because of Covid protocols, there will be no official opening event. The exhibition is open to the public with sales taking place. Sign-in, entry restrictions, mask wearing and social distancing required.

  Caption: Coming Up For Air, acrylic and oil on canvas (detail) by Ngahina Belton Bodsworth

• Otago Polytechnic prepares for annual Student Showcase (November 10 2021)

  The next fortnight promises to be a whirlwind of activity at Otago Polytechnic, as we celebrate our annual Student Showcase.

  Student Showcase is about promoting to the world the work that Otago Polytechnic students have produced throughout the year.

  “From Fashion to Architecture, Product and Communication Design, Art, Engineering, Horticulture and beyond, our learners do it all with incredible skill and passion,” says Dr Megan Gibbons, Chief Executive, Otago Polytechnic.

  “That’s why we’re so proud to shine a light on them and show off what they’ve been up to this year.

  “For example, Otago Polytechnic carpentry students have built a four-bedroom home with guidance from lecturers – and the generous support of many local businesses.   

  “And each year for the past 14 years, that work has benefited many others, as the proceeds from our annual Charity House auction have been distributed to frontline community charities within Otago. 

  “The project embodies the ethos that our people make a better world. It also exemplifies the applied learning approach that Otago Polytechnic provides.”

  The Charity House Auction, to be held on Saturday 20 November, is just one of many, many exciting student projects that will be celebrated as part of Student Showcase.

  All Student Showcase events will adhere to current Covid-19 Alert level guidelines and restrictions (visit our website for up-to-date information).

  However, this has meant changes to our usual programme.

  For example, the “Collections” fashion show, one of the highlights of Showcase, takes on a new format this year.

  Instead of a runway show, our Year-3 and Post-grad fashion learners’ work will be celebrated via two live film screenings at Otago Polytechnic on Friday 19 November (5.30pm and 8pm).

  In addition to the live screenings, Otago Polytechnic’s Hub will also host an exhibition of selected Fashion learners’ work, on display as part of the wider “Debrief” exhibition, which celebrates other Design disciplines, including Product Design and Communications Design.

   

  Caption: Bachelor of Design (Communication) students Ella Montgomery and Emily Bell with their concept for "Debrief".

  Otago Polytechnic Student Showcase - highlights:

   

  Debrief

  Exhibition showcasing works by our Product Design, Communication Design and Fashion Design learners

  Otago Polytechnic Hub, Forth St, Dunedin 

  17-21 November, 10am-3pm 

   

  SITE

  Exhibition of contemporary art

  Dunedin School of Art, P Block, Riego St, Dunedin 

  Friday 19 November, 5.30pm-7.30pm

  Saturday 20 November, 10am-4pm

  Monday 22 November, 10am-4pm

   

  Plant Sale and Horticulture Open Day

  9.30am-1.30pm, Saturday 20 November

  Note: Garden Tour, 12pm, Saturday 20 November

  Front Driveway, Otago Polytechnic L Block, 100 Anzac Ave, Dunedin 

   

  Charity House Auction  

  12pm, Saturday 20 November  

  Otago Polytechnic L Block, 100 Anzac Ave, Dunedin 

   

  Detail

  Exhibition of Architectural Studies learners’ innovative plans, models and highlights from 2021

  19-25 November, 9am-4pm (except Saturday 20 November, 10am-2pm)

  O Block

   

  Engineering Showcase

  A display of posters and prototypes from Civil, Electrical and Mechanical Engineering diploma and degree final-year learners

  23-26 November, 9am-4pm

  Otago Polytechnic Hub, Forth St, Dunedin 

   

  Note: All Otago Polytechnic Student Showcase events adhere to current Covid-19 Alert level guidelines and restrictions. Refer to our website for up-to-date information 

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

• Head of IT delivers online learning workshop (November 10 2021)

  Head of IT, Dr Farhad Mehdipour, delivered a workshop on the challenges of online learning environments at the 7th Iran International Conference on Engineering Education last month.

  The workshop was titled ‘Challenges of Online Learning Environments’ and was about the ways teachers keep their students engaged and active in a student-centred learning environment.

  The issue of student engagement becomes more challenging in an online learning environment. Using appropriate techniques for motivating students seems vital particularly due to students’ physical isolation from the learning environment.

  This workshop discussed principles of an inclusive learning environment and techniques for improving online learning considering various aspects including curriculum and content development, delivery and assessment methods, cultural impact, and the efficient use of technology.

  Farhad says the workshop went well, and there were very interesting discussions during the session with participants who were experienced lecturers from various academic institutions. 

• Introducing our new Online Student Representative (November 9 2021)

  Our new Online Student Representative Kashmira More is working towards her Post Graduate Certificate in Applied Management while working as an HR Analyst with an IT firm in India.

  Kashmira already has a Bachelor of Commerce and has spent the past seven years working for a range of organisations.

  Kashmira says she comes from a very humble family where compassion and respect for others are a part of family traditions.

  “Personal and professional life experiences have taught me to 'just go with the flow' and be optimistic about life,” she says.

  Outside of study and work, she likes exploring new places and taking stunning photographs of landscapes. She also likes reading novels and listening to music but struggles to find the time to nurture all of her interests. In addition to this, she enjoys trying out different cuisines and visiting different restaurants.

  Kashmira says the student representative platform has provided her with an opportunity to bond with students, make some amazing friends, and extend her support to OPAIC, which has been an enjoyable experience.

• Success Story: Akshay Nair (November 9 2021)

  Bachelor of Construction student Akshay Nair performed so well during his internship that he’s just been hired as a permanent employee at a construction company.

  Akshay came to New Zealand from India in December of 2019, right after completing high school.

  “Apart from having one of the most mesmerizing and picturesque landscapes in the whole world, New Zealand has one of the best education systems,” he says.

  “From having globally recognised qualifications to having excellent pedagogy-based learning systems which ensures growth of both practical and theoretical knowledge while promoting innovation and research, who wouldn't want to come to study here?”

  The fact that his uncle and family had already made the move here was an added bonus.

  Akshay says he chose OPAIC to maximize his post-study work opportunities. He knew OPAIC had a vast alumni network, and that was what helped him land a great internship.

  Going through the interview and selection process for the internship was a bit nerve-wracking, as he was an international student just beginning his career, he says.

  However, the whole process was made easier by the Employability Team, who gave him the opportunity to stand out in front of experienced professionals.

  “One thing I remember them saying that gave me a confidence booster was a quote from Marcus Garvey: ‘If you have confidence in yourself, you have won before you have even started.’ Simple as that. I gave the interview and started my internship two weeks later.”

  Akshay says the work was hectic at first, as he wanted to get everything perfect in order to stand out and be respected for his work in the professional environment.

  He says his goal for his internship was simply to become a better version of himself.

  His manager set him the challenge of getting at least two construction projects signed off by a client. His confidence improved greatly after receiving the first sign-off. He ended up getting three projects signed off by clients and landing himself a full-time job at the company.

  Akshay says everything he learned from the beginning to the end of his study has been useful in his internship and his job.

  One thing that stood out for Akshay during his time at OPAIC was the diverse culture here.

   “One could feel they are welcomed whomsoever they may be because the people around you are so polite and kind.”

  The second thing that stood out was the online learning experience, during the city’s lockdowns.

  “The lecturers made it so easy for us to learn, grasp, and enjoy everything that it didn't feel like we were missing out on our student life.”

   

• Celebrating our Excellent Scholars (November 8 2021)

  Congratulations to the students who received Excellent Scholar Awards for top marks in their programmes during Study Block 4.

  The recipients were Wei Wei, Weifang Qu, Yun Tang, Zhenyu Yang, Qi Wang, Shing Hin Jack Lam, Natasha Rae De Guzman Marcelo, Vladimir Denisenko, Christiaan Bredenkamp, Maimiti Manate, and Tatiana Safronova.

  We celebrated the achievements of the students at an online awards ceremony today.

  Group Chief Executive, Sam Alavi, said he was proud of everyone for thriving during a difficult time and their achievements were a testament to their hard work.

  Much of Study Block 4 was spent online with many students attending just one class on campus before the city went into lockdown.

  Senior Student Support Advisor, Rebecca Hayes, said this round of Excellent Scholar awards was particularly special because of the resilience students had shown and the effort they’d put in to perform so well under the current circumstances.

• Student Story: Sushant Kwatra (November 8 2021)

  Sushant Kwatra’s internship with Cardinal Logistics is helping him gain the experience he needs to pursue a career in supply chain management.

  Sushant decided to come to New Zealand and study a Bachelor of Applied Management at OPAIC in 2019, after completing a qualification in commerce back home in Delhi.

  He says he choose OPAIC because it is recognised as one of the best institutions for Applied Management study.

  “Otago helped me in getting an internship with a recognised company. According to my interests, they advised me to do an internship with Cardinal Logistics which deals with supply chain management.”

  Sushant started his internship in the customer service and logistics department at the Wiri office in mid-October.

  His jobs have included checking customer pods, looking after customer queries, customer reporting, investigation of delivery failures, and tracking check sheets.

  It’s hoped that as the alert levels drop, Sushant will be able to gain experience and apply his knowledge out in the warehouse.

  He says his colleagues are great mentors who guide him and never hesitate to help whenever he faces any issues.

  “I am enjoying the internship as it is related to my interests. Another reason is the positive energy and support which I get from my colleagues which motivates me to learn and move forward towards my goal.”

  Sushant has always been very interested in imports, exports, and supply chains. He says his internship is allowing him to learn more about supply chain management and gain in-depth knowledge about New Zealand’s logistics industry, which will help him in his future career.

  “After finishing my studies, I hope to see myself at a recognised company like Cardinal Logistics.”

  Sushant says he’s applied a lot of theories from his studies in his internships and used tools he gained during his course work.

  He’s grateful for the opportunity to apply the skills and knowledge from his study in a real working environment.

  He says he’s looking forward to making some site visits when the city is out of lockdown to see how products are packed and dispatched for delivery to customers all over New Zealand.

  The Cardinal Logistics HR Team says the company’s internship programme delivers the opportunity for students to have access to the real business world where they can use and develop the skills and knowledge acquired through the programme.

  OPAIC Employability Manager, Dani Mao, says the company’s initiative ties in with one of the major aims of our Bachelor of Applied Management programme. That is to develop high-quality graduates with a sound understanding of the dynamic and changing environment in which management takes place and apply knowledge at operational and strategic levels in a range of industries and organisations.

• Learners mix sport and exercise with community-spirited projects (November 4 2021)

  Otago Polytechnic’s annual Student Showcase kicks off on Friday, 5 November, with an “in-house” event at our Institute of Sport, Exercise and Health.

  Based at the Sargood Centre, Logan Park, Dunedin, our Bachelor of Applied Science learners will provide their peers and whānau with insights into their projects, many of which have focused on real-world, community-minded outcomes.

  The projects include:

  • a tennis coaching business and website that has connections not only to tennis clubs but also to Tennis NZ programmes
  • working with primary and secondary school pupils in Taieri and providing a link from schools to clubs to keep students participating in sport, post-secondary school 
  • working with Otago Rugby to educate rural secondary school students about opportunities in Dunedin for continuing playing pugby and to promote wellbeing
  • implementing a holistic health programme to local secondary school students to help them transition to tertiary study
  • the development of an app that matches running cadence to the beats-per-minute of popular music.

  The latter project is the brainchild of Jordan Frost, whose rationale was based on a concern that runners are often out of step with the music they are listening to while training.

  “There has been much research into the negative physical effects of listening to ‘asynchronous’ music when running,” Jordan explains.

  “For example, when changing cadence — and effectively being out of step with music – one might increase the risk of injury or exertion.

  “The objective for my project was to create a mock-up music and running app. This will be displayed through a video that communicates how to use the app when running.

  “The mock-up will provide participants with a visual, interactive, and audio experience of the app. The feedback participants provide will then help me with the development process of my app.

  “It’s a music and running app that enables users to be able to match the bpm of the song with their running cadence. Users would find their beat, select their tempo, and off they go!

  “During my research, an online survey of 80 participants, I found the most popular genre to listen to when running was pop. I also found that the majority (57%) of runners focused on the beat of the song when choosing what to listen to.”

   

• Sustainable development research shared (October 29 2021)

  We enjoyed hearing from a range of speakers, including our staff and students, on the topic of sustainable development at two online events yesterday.

  First was the New Zealand Sustainable Development Research Symposium conducted jointly by TechTALK and OPAIC.

  OPAIC Group Chief Executive Sam Alavi opened the event saying OPAIC is committed to supporting a strong research culture. The organisation supports staff and students to be research active, he said.

  He said sustainability is an important research strand here at OPAIC, often explored through cross departmental student projects

  Speakers included our master’s student Manoj Asrani who talked about sustainability in road construction and our bachelor’s student Maimiti Manate who talked about OPAIC recycling initiatives.

  We also heard from researchers at the Eastern Institute of Technology and Unitec on topics including climate change and beekeeping technology.

  The research symposium was followed by a TechTALK, also on the theme of New Zealand Sustainable Development.

  TechTALK is a series of events that bring together technological leaders, industry experts, communities, innovators, educators, and learners.

  Last night’s event featured four amazing speakers with both industry and education backgrounds, including OPAIC Applied Management Principal Lecturer Marianne Cherrington.

  Marianne has been actively working on various projects focusing on sustainability and disruptive innovation involving students and staff at OPAIC.

  She talked about going circular with The Fourth Industrial Revolution (Industry 4.0). Industry 4.0 refers to the automation of traditional practices, using smart technology. Her talk was well received by the audience.

   

• Inspirational learning journeys celebrated (October 28 2021)

  A broad range of inspirational stories were shared at Otago Polytechnic’s Adult Learning Awards, held at its Dunedin Campus on Thursday, October 28.

  The awards shone a light on academic paths both challenging and empowering.

  Six present or past Otago Polytechnic English Language Centre (ELC) students, six former Foundation Learning students – as well as three current Otago Polytechnic staff – were presented with awards by Chief Executive Dr Megan Gibbons and Dunedin Mayor, Hon. Aaron Hawkins.

  “Whether supporting children or partners in their own tertiary study, encouraging classmates during the period of learning during COVID or balancing several part-time jobs with full-time study and family responsibilities, the nominated students from the English Language Centre have been outstanding,” Aaron Blaker, Head of English Language Centre, says.

  “The challenges have kept coming in 2021, as they did in previous years, but the prevailing attitude toward learning of the nominated students has encompassed dignity, intelligence, and collaboration: qualities and lives worth celebrating.”

  For the duration of its existence, the Otago Polytechnic English Language Centre has worked to provide a quality, values-centred and deeply human learning environment for tertiary students studying English as an additional language. Students and staff consider it a special place to learn and interact.

  Harriet Walsh, Head of Foundation Learning, Otago Polytechnic, says Foundation learners might enter programmes at different stages of their academic journey, life, and career story – but the common themes among the nominated students are their dedication to study and academic excellence, compassion for others, leadership qualities, the passion to learn and a desire to make positive changes in their lives.

  “These learners not only inspire their peers but Foundation staff, too, through the huge challenges, including trauma, and barriers they have faced. They have shown just how resilient and brave they are returning to study while acting as role models to others.

  “The whole Foundation team are incredibly proud of these students and their efforts – not only during their time on the Foundation Learning programmes but also their continued studies at Otago Polytechnic, work and beyond,” Harriet says.

  “The Foundation Learning staff group are an extremely dedicated and compassionate group of educators who continually give their all every day to our wonderful learners, inspiring and enabling confidence to grow. We see considerable gains and successes every day and it truly is a privilege to work alongside these staff and students.”

  A further 15 adult learners from various organisations based in Ōtepoti Dunedin received awards. The organisations represented are Volunteering Otago, Harrington Vaughan, English Language Partners and Skillsec.

  The ceremony comprised three categories: Outstanding Adult Learner Award; Exceptional Adult Educator Award; and Innovative Provider Award.

  The awards were part of the nationwide Manaaki Festival of Adult Learning Ahurei Ākonga 2021, which celebrates the wide range of learning opportunities available to adults in New Zealand, and the impact of education on people’s lives.

  More than 65,000 adults are engaged in some form of learning every year.

  Read more about Otago Polytechnic’s English Language Centre here

  Read more about Otago Polytechnic’s Foundation Studies here

   

• Hub exhibition out of this world (October 28 2021)

  Otago Polytechnic has played host to more than 40 vibrant and visionary projects developed by school pupils.

  The Otākou STEAM Cluster has been running the 'Mission to Mars' project this year, partnering with NASA to explore living on Mars.

  Having identified two key themes – Community and Journeys – project organisers tasked students with exploring these issues and developing prototypes.

  Students from several classrooms across various Dunedin schools (years 0-8) have been involved, their efforts culminating in a public exhibition at Otago Polytechnic’s Hub this week.

  The young learners were aided by input from Otago Polytechnic academics, who had developed a series of webinars that included design and architecture tips.

  Visit the virtual exhibition here

• Otago Polytechnic adult learners to celebrate success (October 26 2021)

  A wide range of Otago Polytechnic adult learners will celebrate their academic journeys this week.

  Otago Polytechnic’s Adult Learning Awards, to be held at its Dunedin Campus on Thursday, October 28, shine a light on academic paths both challenging and empowering.

  Six present or past Otago Polytechnic English Language Centre (ELC) students, six former Foundation Learning students – as well as three current Otago Polytechnic staff – have been nominated for awards, which will be presented by Chief Executive Dr Megan Gibbons and Dunedin Mayor Aaron Hawkins.

  “Whether supporting children or partners in their own tertiary study, encouraging classmates during the period of learning during COVID or balancing several part-time jobs with full-time study and family responsibilities, the nominated students from the English Language Centre have been outstanding,” Aaron Blaker, Head of English Language Centre, says.

  “The challenges have kept coming in 2021, as they did in previous years, but the prevailing attitude toward learning of the nominated students has encompassed dignity, intelligence, and collaboration: qualities and lives worth celebrating.”

  For the duration of its existence, the Otago Polytechnic English Language Centre has worked to provide a quality, values-centred and deeply human learning environment for tertiary students studying English as an additional language. Students and staff consider it a special place to learn and interact.

  Harriet Walsh, Head of Foundation Learning, Otago Polytechnic, says foundation learners might enter programmes at different stages of their academic journey, life, and career story – but the common themes among the nominated students are their dedication to study and academic excellence, compassion for others, leadership qualities, the passion to learn and a desire to make positive changes in their lives.

  “These learners not only inspire their peers but Foundation staff, too, through the huge challenges, including trauma, and barriers they have faced. They have shown just how resilient and brave they are returning to study while acting as role models to others.

  “The whole Foundation team are incredibly proud of these students and their efforts – not only during their time on the Foundation Learning programmes but also their continued studies at Otago Polytechnic, work and beyond,” Harriet says.

  “The Foundation Learning staff group are an extremely dedicated and compassionate group of educators who continually give their all every day to our wonderful learners, inspiring and enabling confidence to grow. We see considerable gains and successes every day and it truly is a privilege to work alongside these staff and students.”

  A further 15 adult learners from various organisations based in Ōtepoti Dunedin will receive awards. The organisations represented are Volunteering Otago, Harrington Vaughan, English Language Partners and Skillsec.

  The ceremony comprises three categories: Outstanding Adult Learner Award; Exceptional Adult Educator Award; and Innovative Provider Award.

  The awards are part of the nationwide Manaaki Festival of Adult Learning Ahurei Ākonga 2021, which celebrates the wide range of learning opportunities available to adults in New Zealand, and the impact of education on people’s lives.

  More than 65,000 adults are engaged in some form of learning every year.

  Read more about Otago Polytechnic’s English Language Centre here

  Read more about Otago Polytechnic’s Foundation Studies here

• Artist wins International Award for Clay Animation Film (October 22 2021)

  CONGRATULATIONS to Artist and lecturer at the Dunedin School of Art, Kiri Mitchell who has won bronze at the International Women Over 50 Film Festival, winning an award in the animation category.

  See the Link at the ODT for MORE!

  https://www.odt.co.nz/the-star/film-wins-award-festival
• Professorial Lecture examines embodiments of privilege and power (October 20 2021)

  Congratulations to Professor Federico Freschi, Head of College of Te Maru Pūmanawa - Creative Practice & Enterprise, Otago Polytechnic, on his Professorial Lecture last night (Tuesday, 19 October).

  Prof Freschi’s lecture, titled “Privilege & Prejudice: Reflections on the Politics of Art, Architecture & Design”, included examples from a South African context that showed how designed forms, structures and artefacts were implicated in embedding white privilege and entangled in the politics of claiming and deploying power.

  Against a global context of resurgent nationalisms and urgent calls for decolonisation, these examples had broad resonance across other former settler-colonial societies, Prof Freschi said.

  The lecture coincided with the launch of the edited volume, The Politics of Design: Privilege & Prejudice in Aotearoa New Zealand, Australia and South Africa (eds. Federico Freschi, Jane Venis and Farieda Nazier, Otago Polytechnic Press, 2021).

  "It is a privilege to be able to present a Professorial Lecture," Prof Freschi says.

  "Having come to Aotearoa New Zealand from South Africa, it has given the rare opportunity to reflect on the broader arc of my research and to test its relevance in a new context.

  "My research over the past two decades has largely been on the roles that art, architecture and design play in constructions of identity and national belonging. While the case studies that I have focused on are largely South African, there are interesting similarities with, and lessons to be drawn from, other settler-colonial societies. The lecture sparked much discussion afterwards on these points, and I am looking forward to exploring these questions going forward. 

  "I concluded with the whakatauki “Ehara tāku toa, i te toa takitahi, engari he toa takitini” (success is not the work of an individual, but the work of many), and the support of colleagues has certainly been amazing – particularly Professor Leoni Schmidt and Lesley Brooks from the Research Office. Oonagh McGirr gave a very generous introduction and Dr Bridie Lonie gave an equally generous and insightful formal thanks at the conclusion, with Dr Helen Papuni opening and closing the evening with beautifully expressed karakia."

  Prof Freschi was appointed Head of College of Te Maru Pūmanawa-Creative Practice & Enterprise at the Otago Polytechnic in October 2019. Before that, he was the Executive Dean of the Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa.

  A widely published art historian, Prof Freschi has curated exhibitions of national and international significance, notably as the South African curator of Henri Matisse: Rhythm and Meaning, the first exhibition of Matisse’s work to be held on the African continent. He is a former Vice-President on the board of Comité International d’Histoire de l’Art (CIHA), formerly held the position of President of SAVAH (South African Visual Arts Historians) and is on the advisory committee of Forum Kunst und Markt (Technische Universität Berlin).

   

• Staff Forum video & presentation (October 18 2021)

  Otago Polytechnic Chief Executive Megan Gibbons addressed a Staff Forum on the proposed Te Pūkenga Operating Model.

  Watch the video here

   

  To view the proposed Operating Model presentation Megan delivered click here.

• Leadership Matters l Succession and Retention Planning (October 18 2021)

  • If the last few years have taught us anything it is that change is constant and inevitable. As an organisation we have always responded and adapted well to change and the challenges put before us.   

    However, to ensure we are equipped to meet those challenges, we need to plan and ensure our organisation and ourselves are prepared for it.

    Over the coming weeks your People and Culture Business Partner will be discussing with you, succession planning for you and your staff.

    What is the process of succession planning?

    Succession planning is the process of identifying critical positions and key staff throughout our organisation. Having identified these key staff we then need to look at options to retain them and their skills, knowledge and experience.  This may be achieved through a number of incentives and options. The other possibility is too ensure there are identified successors for those positions and preparing those successors, through training and experience, to step into these roles when needed.   A number have been identified for you by People and Culture. Your Business Partner will go through these with you but will also ask you to identify other key roles/staff in your area.

     

    What will I need to do as a leader?

    First have a conversation with your People and Culture Business Partners to ensure we have identified all the key staff.  Then explore the options identified that may assist in retaining those staff, your People and Culture Business Partner will have some suggestions but we are open to exploring other options if you have them.

    Develop your plan and then implement, your People and Culture Business Partner will guide you through the process for this.

  •  

    For more information Have a look at Succession Planning on Linkedin 

   

  Leadership Matters is a fortnightly blog bought to you by People & Culture. See the Leadership Support Toolbox for more resources for formal and aspiring leaders. If you have come across anything that you have found useful and would like to share through the Leadership Matters Blog, please get in contact at pctdevelopment@op.ac.nz. 

  We appreciate you providing us with some feedback on these Leadership Matters Blogs.  Thank you for the time in completing this short survey.  Click on this link.

• Success Story: Christine Santiago (October 13 2021)

  An OPAIC student has been keeping busy this lockdown as an essential worker with one of the world’s biggest food and beverage companies.

  Christine came to New Zealand from the Philippines on a working holiday visa in September 2019, not long before borders closed due to Covid-19.

  When it came time for her visa to end a year later, she knew New Zealand was one of the safest places in the world to be. She decided to extend her stay and was approved for a student visa.

  Christine says she chose to study OPAIC’s Graduate Diploma in Applied Management because it complimented her background - she worked as an admin officer for six years back home.

  She says a highlight of her study was her industry placement experience. The Employability Team helped her secure a spot at a large multi-national food and beverage company.

  What started as an internship turned into paid work, as the company asked Christine to cover for a team member on maternity leave.

  She worked in an administrator position and was also involved in some HR and environmental safety work as well.

  “It was a good learning experience particularly because I’m planning to go into HR as a career path.”

  She was grateful to have work during Auckland’s most recent lockdown. While being an essential worker was a little scary at first, she took comfort in the fact she was fully vaccinated against the virus.

  Working during the lockdown also gave her a great opportunity to learn about the company’s Covid-19 health and safety measures and processes.

  She believes the experience will look great on her CV after her contract ends next month and she begins looking for new opportunities in the admin and HR fields.

  Christine also took value from what she learned in the classroom during her time at OPAIC. She particularly enjoyed the classes which focused on the planning and organisational side of management, which is a strength of hers. She put her academic lessons to use in her job.

  “It’s a good balance between theory and practice, which I like. I get to apply what I learned in class within the workplace.”

  Christine has now finished her qualification. She received an Excellent Scholar Award for top marks in her final block of study.

  Outside of work and study, Christine loves travelling. She’s enjoyed having the opportunity to explore New Zealand over the past two years.

  She looks forward to getting home to see her family when it is safe to do so but hopes to settle in New Zealand in the future and perhaps do some postgraduate study.

• Expect delays on SH88 (October 4 2021)

  Commuters using SH88 to get to and from Port Chalmers should expect delays over the next two months.

  The work will start on Wednesday 6 October and run through to the end of November.

  For more information, including a map of the affected area, visit

• Changes to Otago Polytechnic Cyber Security  (October 7 2021)

  The risks to cyber security are greater every year and we are responding by tightening our security on our digital platforms to make it harder for malicious software to be installed.

  Otago Polytechnic has a responsibility to ensure we are taking all precautions possible to protect our digital platforms to keep our business continuity plans in place.  

  Not only do we want to protect our systems and our users, our digital platforms are annually audited by Audit NZ. Every year we are challenged by Audit NZ to justify why we still allow local admin access on our digital platforms. We are one of the few remaining Polytechnics to not have already introduced these restrictions. Allowing local admin access opens the door to unwanted risks to security. 

  Every day malicious software is downloaded onto Otago Polytechnic PCs and laptops and in some circumstances, they are not easy to fix, as can be attested to by the recent spate of cyber security breaches experienced by a number of New Zealand banks. Although we have security systems in place, we need to stay ahead of developments in the area of cyber security to keep our systems safe.  

  In October we will be implementing new restrictions that will have an impact on our staff network users. These changes will not apply to the classroom, our students’ systems will remain status quo. Outlined below are the changes we will be phasing in over the coming months. 

  Who will be impacted? 

  • Otago Polytechnic staff network users 
  • Apple device users will be affected differently to windows device users and any changes will be worked through separately 
  • There will be no restrictions made to classroom computers at this stage 

    

  What will change? 

  • To ensure we protect our systems we will be implementing a process for installing any additional software onto OP devices.   

  •  To install software or make changes to your OP device you will make a request through our service desk. This includes things like: 

         ◦         Installing new software 

         ◦         Installing printers (at Home) or other hardware 

         ◦         Making changes to computer settings  

  • You may no longer be able to customise the environment on your screens i.e. font colour and background picture  
  •   A list of approved/declined software will be published online 

   When  

  • A trial will be undertaken in October with 15 staff across both Professional and Academic roles 
  • Once the trial has been completed we will begin to the roll out of the new restrictions across the network 
  • The roll out will be completed by April 2022 

   

  Should you have any questions, please contact steven.turnbull@op.ac.nz

  Ngā mihi, 

  Megan 

   

• Otago Polytechnic continues to play leading role in Dunedin economy (September 30 2021)

   

  Otago Polytechnic has contributed almost a billion dollars to the Dunedin economy over the past five years.

  Otago Polytechnic’s latest Economic Impact Report shows the institution’s Dunedin Campus added a total value of more than $912 million to the Dunedin economy from 2016 to 2020.

  The report shows that its Dunedin Campus accounted for $365.6 million total expenditure to the city’s economy in 2020, an increase of 4% on 2019.

  “These 2020 results show that Otago Polytechnic is continuing to make significant contributions to Dunedin’s economy,” says Dr Megan Gibbons, Chief Executive, Otago Polytechnic.

  “This report reflects Otago Polytechnic’s record of innovation and adaptation.”

  The report also assessed the total economic expenditure of all Otago Polytechnic’s activities – including its Cromwell Campus and Auckland International Campus – to be $469 million in 2020, up from $464.3 million in 2019.

  Over half of that flow-on expenditure across all campuses was driven by student spending. The remainder was derived from day-to-day Polytechnic expenditure and the impact of staff spending their wages and salaries within their local economies.

  Report welcomed

  Fraser Liggett, Economic Development Manager, Enterprise Dunedin, welcomed the report.

  “We appreciate the clear and demonstrable economic contribution which Otago Polytechnic makes to the city.

  “Our tertiary institutions remain some of the most significant contributors to our economy.

  “Otago Polytechnic’s wider contribution in enabling and growing the next generation of highly skilled talent, innovators and entrepreneurs is hugely significant for the city and region,” Mr Liggett says.

  “This goes beyond the impact of student and staff spending, with the Polytechnic also attracting friends and families to Dunedin for events such as graduations.”

  Otago Polytechnic is one of Dunedin’s larger employers. In 2020, it employed 532.3 full-time equivalent (FTES) staff at its Dunedin campus. In total, Otago Polytechnic employed 616 full-time equivalent staff (FTES) in 2020, across all its campuses in Dunedin, Cromwell and Auckland (AIC).

  Overall, Otago Polytechnic’s enrolments in 2020 totaled 9367 fulltime or part-time students (headcount), or 5385 equivalent full-time students (EFTS). Although^. there was a 2.5% decline in international EFTS from 283 to 276 EFTS in 2020, a number of factors combined to produce the overall increase in EFTS, the most significant of which was the Government’s Targeted Training and Apprenticeship fund (TTAF).

  Dr Gibbons says: “We certainly benefited from the Government’s Targeted Training and Apprenticeship Fund (TTAF), which lifted enrolments in the second half of 2020. However, our ability to collaborate with industry and community is also a big factor in our institutional health.”

  Benefits beyond economic

  “Although this report looks at economic results, Otago Polytechnic – or more pertinently, its people – provide other precious benefits, or tikanga.

  “These include culture and knowledge transfer, human and social capital enhancement, community support, and well-being and happiness.

  “There is value in education beyond fiscal bounds,” says Dr Gibbons.

  “Education changes people’s lives and the trajectory for them, their whanau, and communities. There is growth in learning new things and reaching new goals, contributing to society and helping others to achieve this.

  “These benefits are more difficult to measure but contribute both directly and indirectly to economic, social, cultural, spiritual and environmental wellbeing.”

  Focusing on the future

  Otago Polytechnic’s ongoing transformation as a subsidiary of Te Pūkenga-New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology offers many reasons to be excited, Dr Gibbons says. 

   “As a subsidiary of Te Pūkenga, we are involved in a highly collaborative process, working together to make improvements for the betterment of all learners. 

  “It’s imperative to keep in mind that our learners are – and always will be – at the centre of what we do.

  “The charter for Te Pukenga is clear that while there are benefits in a networked approach, we also need to be responsive in the regions – and this is something Otago Polytechnic has proven time and again.

  “There is a huge amount of experience and expertise among Otago Polytechnic’s staff, all of whom are contributing to the transition to a networked system.

  “This ranges from secondments of Otago Polytechnic staff to Te Pūkenga positions, at a range of levels, to collaborating with other subsidiaries on a range of programmes.

  “And we continue to work with industry, both locally and further afield, to develop future-proofed programmes.

  “We see our role at Otago Polytechnic as two-fold in the coming years: as we contribute to vocational education in New Zealand, we also acknowledge we have a part to play in the economic recovery,” Dr Gibbons says.

  Trades Training Centre

  Otago Polytechnic’s $31.7 million Trades Training Centre is a recent example.

  Employing around 200 tradespeople as well as construction managers and consultants, the Dunedin campus project is significant to both the local and national construction industry, in the context of the economic impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic.

  The project was submitted by Otago Polytechnic early last year in response to the Government’s call to develop “shovel-ready” projects, aimed at stimulating and supporting economic activity in the city and region.

  Construction on the three-story centre was started by Naylor Live in January 2021, and is expected to be completed in late-2022.

• Innovative online study option for Otago’s future digital designers (September 29 2021)

  Otago Polytechnic learners can now study the New Zealand Certificate in Digital Media and Design (Level 4) online on eCampus NZ.

  This programme is a good entry-point for people interested in gaining fundamental digital media and design skills to prepare for further study or begin a career in the creative industries.

  “Career paths in the creative industries are both broad and deep,” says Professor Federico Freschi, head of Te Maru Pūmanawa: College of Creative Practice and Enterprise, Otago Polytechnic.

  “Effectively using your vision to communicate original and exciting ideas to others can lead to a range of exciting careers, including as a Graphic Designer, Illustrator, Character Designer, Art Director, Design Project Manager, Design Researcher, Film-Maker, Web Designer or Animator, to name but a few.”

  In the first three courses in the new programme, learners spend time in a virtual design house, Aronga Whanokē Design, where they use design briefs to create a variety of works that incorporate photography, illustration, video, animation, and other elements. In the final course, learners explore their own identity and culture through digital design.

  Situating learners in a virtual workplace – in this case, a design house – allows learners to develop practical workplace skills which they can easily apply to the real world. It also ensures that the learning experience is interesting and engaging.

  Successful completion of the certificate also provides a springboard to further study at Otago Polytechnic, internationally recognised as a great place to study art and design.

  Further study options include the Bachelor of Design (Communication, Fashion or Product), Bachelor of Architectural Studies or Bachelor of Visual Arts. 

  Enrolments are open now. There are regular courses start dates available, so learners can begin studying at any point in the year.

  To find out more or apply, visit

• Learner says every week about mental health awareness (September 28 2021)

  Every week is mental health awareness week, according to Chev Libaude.

  “I’ve been surrounded by mental health issues most of my life, whether it is within my family or what I have witnessed within the hospitality industry,” says Chev, who is in her first year of the Bachelor of Social Services at Otago Polytechnic.

  With its strong emphasis on fieldwork placements and industry-relevant training, Otago Polytechnic’s  Bachelor of Social Services gives learners the skills to be a capable and confident social services professional working in New Zealand.

  Having run a café-restaurant for 12 years, Chev realised she’d already been exposed to a wide range of personal experiences.

  “I’ve always wanted to help people. And I’ve always been a good listener.

  “I thought instead of listening to people, perhaps I could help others by getting into social work or counselling.

  “Also, living and working in that industry led to a certain lifestyle. You know – it takes one to know one, so to speak. I think I have life experiences that inform both my studies and my approach to helping others.”

  Based in Wanaka, Chev commutes to Dunedin, where she attends on-campus lectures and activities Monday to Wednesday before returning home.

  “I have a daughter in Wanaka so am trying to parent her while also focusing on my studies. It’s tough, but I’m 38 and I had reached a point where I was thinking about where I wanted to be career-wise in, say, 10 years.

  “That was when I really got into gear. However, I didn’t know if I was ready, academically. I had questions like, ‘can I write an essay?’.

  “That’s when I realised I needed to do the bridging course to improve my academic skills,” Chev says, referring to the New Zealand Certificate in Study and Career Preparation (Level 3 and Level 4), which she largely completed online.

  “The support I’ve received from Otago Polytechnic has really helped. And now I’m well into my first year of the Bachelor of Social Services.

  “My path towards this industry just makes total sense. I feel I’m combining all that I’m learning with previous experiences add aspects of my life. I just can’t get enough of this programme.”

  Chev says he is surrounded by inspiring people.

  “I have made some life-changing connections within my class. There are some amazing people – all with their own rich back-stories. And my lecturers/tutors are also amazing. They have their own lived experiences, too.

  “It’s so enlightening to be on this journey with others.”

  *Mental Health Awareness Week runs from 27 September to 3 October. The theme for this year is “Take Time to Kōrero - Mā Te Kōrero, Ka Ora: A little chat goes a long way”.

  Read more about Otago Polytechnic’s Human and Community Services programmes

• Supporting mental health treatment with virtual reality (September 28 2021)

  An OPAIC graduate has co-authored a paper about the use of virtual reality in treating anxiety and depression.

  The paper titled Virtual Reality for Supporting the Treatment of Depression and Anxiety: Scoping Review was co-authored by IT graduate Andrej Hlasnik and has been published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research – Mental Health.

  According to the paper, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has been shown to effectively help patients overcome a wide variety of mental health conditions.

  Virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET) might be one of the most exciting technologies emerging in the clinical setting for the treatment of anxiety and depression, it said.

  This study aimed to investigate the virtual reality (VR) technologies currently being used to help support the treatment of depression and anxiety. It also aimed to investigate how CBT is included as part of VRET and look at the VR technologies and interventions that have been used in recent studies on depression and anxiety.

  It found that most studies demonstrated the use of VR to be effective for supporting the treatment of anxiety or depression in a range of settings and recommended it as a tool for use in a clinical environment.

  The project involved a multi-disciplinary team including researchers working in the areas of Virtual Reality and Gaming, Computer Science, Programming and Software Development, Behavioural Neuroscience, Psychology and Psychiatry affiliated with Massey University, Otago Polytechnic, Auckland Institute of Studies, Liverpool University, and the University of Otago.

  Co-authors also included current and former OPAIC staff members Dr Nilufar Baghaei, Dr Lehan Stemmet and Vibhav Chitale.

  The project was funded by Massey University Strategic Excellence Research Fund and Otago Polytechnic Auckland International Campus.

   

• Otago Polytechnic introducing wine industry programme (September 23 2021)

  Otago Polytechnic’s proven nose for innovation will see its Cromwell Campus roll out a programme specialising in commercial wine cellar operations early next year.

  Based in the heart of one of the most-renowned wine-making regions of New Zealand, the New Zealand Certificate in Cellar Operations (Level-3) is designed for people either working in a winery at an entry level, or wanting to enter the wine industry.

  Part of the Government’s Targeted Training and Apprenticeship Fund (TTAF), which covers tuition fees and student levies, the fulltime programme begins on 17 January 2020 and runs for 17 weeks.

  Although they will be based at the Central Otago Campus, learners will complete off-site and workplace learning, enabling them to gain important practical skills within a real-world setting. Work placements will take place in a variety of sustainably-accredited wineries.

  Otago Polytechnic is an accredited member of Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand. All the lecturers within this programme are recognised as sustainable practitioners, incorporating best practice in their teaching.

  Initially offered by Competenz in June 2015, the Level 3 Cellar Operations programme was further developed by Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology (NMIT). Otago Polytechnic has been collaborating with NMIT since 2020, with the aim of delivering the programme to support the Central Otago wine industry.

  Otago Polytechnic Cellar Operations Lecturer Dr Stephanie Lambert notes the New Zealand wine industry supports more than 16,500 full-time jobs.

  “It can be difficult to recruit the necessary skilled people locally, so it is great that the industry is supporting this initiative to train and upskill in our region.

  “The cellar operations course will give a broad teaching in New Zealand wine varieties, sensory evaluation and practical application, along with health and safety and team dynamics.

  “The wine industry is innovative, collaborative and allows for many career pathways. In my 25 years in the industry, from research, cellar and lab operations to winemaking, I have been exposed to many different operations, both here in New Zealand and around the world.

  “I am excited to use my extensive winemaking experience to teach and guide interested people to start or enhance their careers in this rewarding and varied industry.”

  The New Zealand Certificate in Cellar Operations (Level-3) programme covers:

  • the wine industry, wine-making processes, plant and equipment
  • legislation, regulatory, food safety and workplace and personal health and safety requirements
  • how to work effectively in a team when transferring wine to meet production requirements
  • how to complete routine cellar operation tasks
  • NZ wine varieties, styles and growing regions
  • Basic sensory evaluation of wine
  • Processes used to “finish” wines (stabilisation, fining, filtration, blending, maturation, barrels, packaging, bottling)

  More information here

• Save the date - call for presenters (September 22 2021)

  Neurodiversity Community of Practice Symposium 2021 - call for presenters!

  OP’s new Neurodiversity Community of Practice will be launched at a symposium for sharing practice, experience, and knowledge to be held in the Hub, at Otago Polytechnic/Te Kura Matatini ki Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand on Thursday morning, 11^th November 2021 (if COVID-19 restrictions prevail, we will move to a blended delivery/online format).

  This symposium has an open theme with a focus on Neurodiversity. We are particularly interested in presentations which deal with the challenges, successes, experiences and practices that support Neurodiverse people, and that inform contemporary practices of Learning and Teaching.

  Submissions for the Neurodiversity Community of Practice symposium 2021 are invited from staff and students at Otago Polytechnic who wish to share their knowledge in a 15-minute presentation. 

  Submissions should contribute to and inform Learning and Teaching practices that support Neurodiverse people in tertiary education. Please send a 300-word abstract that outlines the planned content of your presentation and a 50-150 word bio. Shared and co-presented submissions are welcome, as are a variety of formats and forms of communication.

   

  Submission guidelines

  • Submissions should be sent in electronic format (eg: Word document) for review and potential inclusion to Amy.Benians@op.ac.nz by Wednesday 13th October 2021. 
  • Please clearly name files with the title of the submitted piece and the lead author’s name. Please also supply contact information on a separate cover page to include: Name of author(s); contact email; contact telephone number.
  • Author biography: Include a short biography of no more than 50-150 words of each author with your submission, briefly outlining their relevant background and experience.
  • Peer review: Peer review forms will be sent to all submitters in due course, with details concerning the possible reworking of content where relevant.

   

  Abstract or outline of content to provide the following information

  • Formats include: editorials; articles; essays; logs and travel reports; book and educational software reviews; interviews and roundtables; and reflective pieces. Other formats will also be welcomed - please email to discuss.
  • Abstract with 300-word limit for 15 minutes presentation or equivalent
  • Submitted work is expected to use academic referencing where appropriate.

  Click here to register

• Tauira benefit from food parcels (September 20 2021)

  Otago Polytechnic tauira and their whānau, spanning from North Dunedin to Milton, benefited from the mahi of our team at Te Punaka Ōwheo late last week.

  “We were generously offered the ability to provide food parcels to our tauira, through Kinder Kara, a Whānau Ora Navigator (and an OP alumni) at Te Roopu Tautoko ki Te Tonga. These parcels were provided through Te Kaika via a number of Māori community providers,” explains Rebecca Swindells, Kaiawhina Tauira Māori.

  “We often see tauira who come to us at TPO, who are extremely whakama about asking for any sort of financial support. Some never ask. Many of our tauira are still facing the long-lasting effects of the latest lockdown – increased power bills, diminished pantries, loss of income, etc – so it was a humbling experience to be able to reach out to learners and see whether these parcels provided relief to them during this time.

  “The parcels were extremely well received by our tauira and were much bigger than we and the tauira had anticipated. One of our tauira likened it to Christmas.”

  Woody Woods, Information Technology Lecturer and Kaiawhina Tauira Māori, who was also involved in the project, says 35 parcels were delivered, each comprising fresh fruit, vegetables, meat and basic essentials. 
   
  “With the help of some tauira – Ben Houston, Regionald Tukiwaho and Daniel France, as well as Kiri and Stephen Hohaia – we pulled together and delivered the parcels on Friday evening. 

  “To see our students so grateful to have those food parcels delivered was very heart-warming.  Some of the parcels went to families that had newly born babies and some were students that were really struggling to make ends meet. 

  “I was very grateful for Kinder and our TPO whānau for making this happen,” Woody says.

  “He kai kei aku ringa! (There is food at the end of my hands).”

   

• Success Story: Mickail Lim (September 13 2021)

  OPAIC master’s graduate Mickail Lim is making his mark in the ICT Project Management industry in New Zealand.

  Mickail currently works as ICT Project Manager at Journey Digital, a software delivery studio based in Kingsland, Auckland.

  “My job involves handling the project portfolios of private healthcare institutions in New Zealand and internationally. My responsibilities are mainly around project planning, resource forecasting and management, risk management, stakeholder management, and project control,” he says.

  He has just accepted a new job offer from the Ministry of Justice as ICT Project Manager for their Digital Services Team.

  “This poses a new challenge, since project governance and delivery environments will be different between the private and public sector,” he says.

  “However, I am keen for this new chapter in my career as it gives me the opportunity to grow within a new role, discover new challenges, and give back to the community by improving the digital solutions in service of the public.”

  Mickail says the competencies he learned during his master’s qualification have been extremely valuable to his career.  

  “For instance, I have an inclination to be more data-driven in my approach and know how to responsibly use peer-reviewed sources to inform my decisions at work. Furthermore, I am more competent at processing and analysing data in projects and reports.”

  He says his soft skills have improved as well, and he now uses management techniques that were not known to him before.

  “The skills I learned in conducting a study and writing a thesis helped with my ability to fact-find, garner insights, and develop solutions. These are essential skills in my line of work and I never realised I needed them until I learned them through the master’s programme.” 

  Mickail previously worked as an Operations Director for American software development and marketing businesses, running their satellite production offices in the Philippines.

  In 2019 he decided to formalise his career in Operations and Project Management by pursuing a master’s degree. It made complete sense to do the degree in New Zealand because he’d fallen in love with the country on a visit earlier that year.

  “My wife and I instantly fell in love with the country and the people. Apart from how New Zealand values and respects the environment, we were drawn by the culture and how it focused on quality of life and strong family foundations.”

  “Ultimately, we chose Master of Applied Management with OPAIC as I found the competencies honed in this program matched that which I was looking to improve and OPAIC came well-recommended by my immigration advisor and friends.”

  Mickail focused his studies on Project Management. He was the first person in Oceania to study the evolving roles of Project Managers in a software delivery environment that continues to evolve towards Agile delivery and Scrum as a framework.

  He says the degree was hard work. His entire focus during this period was on his wife and son, the job he worked to support them, and his thesis.

  “The sacrifice manifested through working on my thesis between 5am to 8am (then reporting at the office between 9am to 6pm) on weekdays and all day on weekends for over four months,” he says.

  “I think it was all worth it though - I managed to capture over 600 samples for my study, and created high quality work getting an overall rating of A- for my thesis.”

   

   

• Robinson's golden gesture rewarded (September 13 2021)

  Our people really do make a better world.

  Otago Polytechnic graduate Holly Robinson not only won a gold medal in the women’s javelin F46 competition at the Tokyo Paralympics 10 days ago, but her generous gesture after the victory earned her the Visa Global Fan Award.

  After her win, Holly made a point of thanking every official associated with the event.

  That gesture won her the Visa Award – meaning she now has US$50,000 (NZ$70,035) to donate to a charity of her choice (she has yet to decide).

  Holly’s Tokyo gold followed that of Anna Grimaldi – another Otago Polytechnic graduate and Dunedin athlete – who won the long jump T47 final a few days earlier.

  Holly, who won silver at the 2016 Rio Paralympics and silver at the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast, has always been “sporty”. Her earliest memory is playing rugby with her twin brother in Hokitika when she was three years old.

  At the age of 12, she “decided to start getting serious about something” and focused on javelin throwing and, at 16, was offered a scholarship to train with a Paralympic coach in Dunedin. In 2012 she represented New Zealand at the London Paralympics. 

  The year 2012 was also Holly’s last of school.

  “I had no clue what I wanted to do, so I looked at the Bachelor of Applied Science degree at Otago Polytechnic. It was a practical and applied qualification, and I liked that. It’s sort of the way I learn.”

  Read more about our Bachelor of Applied Science

   

• A return to nursing (September 10 2021)

  Anna Perkins has returned to Nursing after an 18-year break — and is excited about the next chapter in her professional journey.

  Anna recently completed the Certificate in Professional Practice for Registered Nurses (CAP), a competence assessment programme at Otago Polytechnic’s School of Nursing.

  It takes eight weeks to complete the qualification, before being put forward to the Nursing Council of New Zealand for registration.

  “I had always thought I would go back to Nursing, but my circumstances, including raising three children, didn’t allow this,” Anna explains.

  “However, when the Covid-19 pandemic started last year, I thought about my Nursing experience – and how I had skills to offer that were not being used.”

  Anna says that any worries she may have had about “then and now” factors, such as changes in procedures, medications and products, were quickly dispelled.

  “I was pleasantly surprised at how my previous Nursing knowledge came back to me. My life experience in the last 18 years in a range of different areas also helped.

  “The CAP gave me confidence and reassured me that my skills and experience would hold me in a good place. The evaluation process was helpful and also gave me confidence after being out of research and study for so long.”

  Anna says Otago Polytechnic’s Nursing teachers were very supportive.

  “They didn’t hold my hand. They challenged me, but in a way that was positive encouraging.

  “The support I received during placement was invaluable, translating into being confident enough to ask staff for help – as well as recognize where my weaknesses were.”

  Now, Anna is working 16 hours per week as a Practice Nurse.

  “My duties are very varied. I love being supported by my colleagues and trusting in my knowledge and ability to ask for help.

  “I have confidence that I am a respected valued member of the Nursing team.

  “I am excited for what is in my future and where it will lead me.”

  Geoffrey Harvey, who leads the Otago Polytechnic’s School of Nursing Competence Assessment Programme for Registered Nurses, says the programme is important to the healthcare sector

  “New Zealand benefits from experienced, highly qualified nurses who are respected, compassionate and highly competent in clinical settings.”

  
  
  

• Top scholars celebrated (September 7 2021)

  We celebrated the achievements of students who received top marks in their programmes last study block, in an online Excellent Scholar Awards ceremony yesterday.

  Those students were Harmanjyot Whala, Xiaowen Zhu, Fahmida Akhter, Valentina Kurokhtina, Yang Liu, Margo Martine Marguerite Ballesta-Torrente, Kazuhisa Kondo, Kevin Atchama Sourama, Vikas Sarin, Christine Melanie Santiago, and Harmanjyot Whala.

  Deputy CEO: Academic, Professor Leoni Schmidt, congratulated students on the resilience they’d shown during a difficult and unpredictable period.

  Head of Applied Management, Russell Harray, talked about some attributes top students shared including being motivated, engaged, adaptable, and having a passion for learning.

  Those attributes were shared not just by today’s award recipients but by many other students who had done really well in their courses too, he said.

  He said achieving good grades was just part of the equation for top students. They also thought about long-term goals and future career paths.

  He invited award recipients to share their own thoughts on what it takes to be a top student.

  Students talked about having good time management, asking questions, critical thinking, and not being afraid to express your point of view. They said they were grateful for the support they’d received from staff and other students.

  Learning Support Advisor, Cheryl Watson, said it was great to see students who had sought extra study support early on in their journey, now receiving Excellent Scholar Awards.  

• Tumuaki Whakawhanake role established (August 26 2021)

  Otago Polytechnic has created an exciting new role – Tumuaki Whakawhanake/Director Māori Capability, which is a Tier 3 leadership role responsible for overseeing and leading initiatives that contribute to the outcomes in Priority 2 of Otago Polytechnic’s Māori Strategic Framework.

  Shaun Tahau has been appointed to this role, which includes being the Office of the Kaitohutohu (KTO) business partner for P&C, and working closely with colleagues to oversee the implementation of the AMA (Advancement of Māori), Otago Polytechnic’s Māori Workforce Strategy and Action Plan.

  He will also lead a small team of Kaiārahi (yet to be appointed) to work with staff to continue to embed and integrate the MSF across Colleges, Schools and Service Areas (in collaboration with our Tumuaki Whakaako/Director Learning and Teaching, Ron Bull).

  “I am thrilled to have Shaun in this role,” says Dr Megan Gibbons, Otago Polytechnic Chief Executive.

  “Shaun brings a wealth of experience into the role, including knowledge about the organisation, that will be instrumental in working with Colleges and service areas to assist them to build capability.”

  “The more we know and can do, the better the outcomes for our tauira.”

  As Tumuaki Whakawhanake, Shaun will also continue to lead the implementation of Otago Polytechnic’s Te Rautaki Reo Māori/Māori Language Strategy – a first for our sector – and be Otago Polytechnic’s key contact for matters concerning Māori staff capability and development in relation to Te Pae Tawhiti, Te Tiriti o Waitangi Excellence Framework for Te Pūkenga.

  Shaun says it is an honour and a privilege” to be appointed to this role.

  “I’d like to thank Megan Gibbons and Janine Kapa for the opportunity.”

  Follow this link for the full Te Pae Tawhiti insights report, or click here for a summary video.

  Shaun has also provided a video introduction to himself and his new role.

• Otago Polytechnic Design Lecturer wins national teaching award (August 25 2021)

  Otago Polytechnic Lecturer Hannah Joynt has won an Ako Aotearoa Tertiary Teaching Excellence Award for 2021.

  The Ako Tertiary Teaching Excellence Award is among the most prestigious teaching awards in New Zealand.

  A Lecturer within Otago Polytechnic’s School of Design, Hannah's award is in the “General – Sustained Excellence in Tertiary Teaching” section.

  She is the only non-university academic to win an Ako award this year.

  Otago Polytechnic Chief Executive Dr Megan Gibbons says the award reflects a strong culture of excellence at the institution.

  “I’m delighted Hannah has been acknowledged with such a prestigious award,” says Dr Gibbons, a recipient of the same award in 2016 and one of more than 20 Otago Polytechnic educators who have won Ako Aotearoa Awards since 2007.

  “It’s wonderful the Awards Committee has recognised Hannah’s dedication and excellence. Her contribution to Otago Polytechnic and her commitment to her students is greatly valued.

  “Hannah is an artist and teacher. Her teaching inspires the creativity and passion in the learners who come in contact with her,” Dr Gibbons says.

  “Her learners describe her as ‘absolutely stunning at getting students engaged’ and credit her as an ‘amazing teacher’ who nurtures a positive community arts culture in all her learners. They commend her pastoral care, personal support, and commitment to supporting them in lifelong learning.

  “We look forward to celebrating this award with Hannah when we return to campus.”

  Hannah views teaching and learning as interchangeable.

  “We learn to teach and teach to learn.

  “In creative spaces we build a community of artists, learning and working together. I find students are more likely to take ownership of the processes and become experts through direct hands-on experience in learner-led ways.

  “I view my role as an educator as a joy and my classroom a foundational component of a larger vibrant creative community. I play a part in nurturing an inclusive culture that helps to sustain learners beyond enrolment.”

  Read more about the 2021 awardees on the Ako Aotearoa website

• Welcoming students to the OPAIC whanau (August 13 2021)

  We’re excited to welcome another new cohort of students to the OPAIC whanau this week.

  Today’s on-campus Orientation began with an introduction from our ICT, Facilities & Customer Services Manager, Sonny Teio.

  Sonny spoke about our incorporation of tikanga Māori at OPAIC. He opened with a pepeha (introduction), which was followed by a karakia (prayer), and a waiata (song).

  Next, Deputy Chief Executive, Gagan Sachdeva, welcomed students. He spoke about the unusual and challenging times we are living in, acknowledging the extra pressures faced by international students.

  He encouraged our domestic and international students to reach out and support each other.

  Gagan spoke about the importance of positivity. He said they should try to keep reminding themselves that they are living in a safe and beautiful country which has set examples for the world.

  While many would be worried about friends and family around the world, they could take solace in knowing their loved ones back home did not need to worry about their safety here in New Zealand.

  He thanked students for making OPAIC part of their life journey and said our team of staff are committed to their success.

  Students were introduced to members of our academic and support teams during this morning’s sessions. Today’s activities also include a campus tour, employability and IT inductions, and an academic orientation.

  We also have a number of new students joining us online from their home countries this Study Block. They were welcomed during their own online Orientation event yesterday.

• Connecting with Microsoft for collaboration opportunities (August 13 2021)

  Head of IT, Dr Farhad Mehdipour, and Student Experience Coordinator, Anastasia Timoshkina, met Microsoft’s Higher Education Industry Executive, Dimitri Mardas, recently. They explored opportunities to collaborate to improve the experience of our OPAIC IT students.

  Farhad says Microsoft technologies are very popular within New Zealand, particularly in the information technology sector. Different Microsoft tools, languages and platforms are used by professionals. Therefore, it is essential for students to learn the skills related to these technologies. 

  In the meeting with Dimi, Farhad and Anastasia discussed the possibility of getting access to training resources particularly around cloud computing. This will provide students with the opportunity to learn more about a major cloud platform, which is currently the most popular one in New Zealand. 

• Eight OP projects in Best Design Awards finals (August 12 2021)

  Eight Otago Polytechnic School of Design projects, involving students, graduates and staff members, have been named finalists in the Designers Institute of New Zealand Best Design Awards 2021.

  The Best Design Awards are an annual showcase of excellence in graphic, spatial, product, interactive and motion design.

  “To have the work of so many of our talented designers acknowledged by the judges is an outstanding achievement,” says Federico Freschi, head of Te Maru Pumanawa: College of Creative Practice and Enterprise.

  “Previous Best Awards finalists and winners have built on their success to launch their design careers in New Zealand and overseas.”

  “Our finalists encompass a wide range of Design disciplines – Product, Architecture, Communication and Fashion – and span graduates, current students, staff and, significantly, partnerships outside of Otago Polytechnic.

  “For example, the Public Good finals category features staff members Andrew Wallace and William Early and their amazing collaboration with South Med to create a ventilator hood to help patients with Covid-19,” Federico says.

  “And the Value of Design category features the Vision 2020 Vision Screening project that included Mary Butler, Alex Gilks, Curtis Stent and Machiko Niimi. This project, which has benefited many children, showed the power of cross-disciplinary thinking.

  “However, those are just two examples.

  “The depth of thinking, allied to the technical and creative execution, and the teamwork required to bring projects to fruition, is evident throughout all these finalists’ work.”

  More information on each Otago Polytechnic-related finalist:

  Architecture:

  Mila Makasini (2020 graduate) (Navigating Culture) - Spatial, Year 3

  Lauren Arthur (Year-2 student) (Room for Thought) - Spatial, Year 2

  Product Design:

  Ella Sanderson and Angus Lewry (Free Rein) - Student Product

  Andrew Wallace and William Early and SouthMed team (Suzy Ventilation Hood) - Public Good

  Mary Butler, Alex Gilks, Curtis Stent and Machiko Niimi and Vision 2020 team - Value of Design

  Communication

  Courtney Forbes (2020 graduate)(Pōpopo Wormporium) - Student Graphics

  Cameron Tillotson (2020 graduate) (Video for Merc Lady) - Student Moving Image

  Fashion

  Dr Margo Barton and Otago Museum team (Fashion Forward >> Disruption Through Design) - Spatial Design in Exhibition and Temporary Structures

   

   

• Student story: Song (Vincent) Zhang (August 3 2021)

  Vincent Zhang gave up an engineering job with Apple in China to come to New Zealand and start a new career in construction.

  He’d been working for Apple retail back home and was doing well financially, but he’d learned most of what there was to know about his industry and wanted to try something new.

  “I knew software and hardware. I knew nothing about construction.”

  He’d heard Quantity Surveying was a good industry and working with a culturally diverse team at Apple inspired him to travel overseas for his next adventure.

  “I thought maybe it’s time to see what actually is overseas.”

  He’d heard New Zealand was a peaceful, clean, and beautiful country, so made the move here in 2015.

  Vincent completed his two-year National Diploma in Quantity Surveying at Otago Polytechnic in Dunedin, selecting that city for its beauty and campus environment.

  Struggling to find work in the South Island after graduation, he made the move to Auckland where he landed a job as a Quantity Surveyor in the residential space within two weeks.

  He stayed in the job for a year and a half, building up his knowledge, then decided it was time for a change and took a Quantity Surveying job with a big developer in Hamilton for a different challenge.  

  A year later he decided to develop his career by furthering his study.  

  “I decided it was time to go back to school to get the bachelor.”

  This time around he enrolled at OP’s Auckland campus in the Bachelor of Construction.

  He thought study would be easy for him having worked in the industry for some time, however he’s learning new things each day.  

  “I’ve still gained something from the course,” he says.

  “I have the work experience, but I still need to systematically re-arrange my knowledge.”

  He’s been finding construction law and people management topics particularly interesting.

  The bachelor will take him only one year since he already has the diploma. He’s continuing to work part-time while he studies and will return to full-time work when he finishes.

  “In Auckland, construction is booming,” he says.

  While there are good job opportunities for graduates in Auckland, it helps if they have some work experience, says Vincent.

  He recommends students should try and do a few months of work experience, prior to entering the workforce and try and gain experience across various aspects of projects.  

• Student Rep attends International Education Forum (July 27 2021)

  Our Student Representative, Chris William, attended an International Education Forum held by Education Minister Chris Hipkins this month.

  The minister spoke about the recovery of international education. A panel of industry leaders then spoke on the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for the industry. 

  When the floor opened for questions, our Student Representative raised concerns over the post-study work visa struggles faced by students who started studying in New Zealand and are now stuck overseas as well as those who recently started studying online.

  The minister said he recognised that this was an area that needed to be handled correctly.

  “I’m glad I had the opportunity to ask about that topic,” says Chris.

  “This was a rare chance I had, as one of only a handful of international students who attended the forum, to raise this concern publicly and directly address the minister of education.”

  Chris was the only student representing polytechnics at the forum.  

  The National President of the New Zealand International Students Association (NZISA), Afiqah Ramizi, also attended and represented international students in the panel discussion.

  Others in attendance included international education experts, leaders in industry, and media. 

  Our Student Rep was able to meet up with the president of the NZISA after the forum and also had the opportunity to have a one-on-one discussion with Chris Hipkins.  

• OPAIC students have their say on study in New Zealand (July 23 2021)

  Three Otago Polytechnic Auckland International Campus students took part in a workshop hosted by Education New Zealand last week.

  Chris William (from South Africa), Maimiti Manate (from Bora Bora) and Nemanja Vukikjevikj (from North Macedonia) represented OPAIC as part of a diverse group of students providing feedback on the international student experience here in New Zealand. 

  The group discussed various topics, including motivation for their chosen area of study, and looking at ways to better position New Zealand education for international students in the future.

  International students from campuses all over Auckland were invited to provide their insights and share their experiences of studying in New Zealand.  

  Thanks to Education New Zealand for inviting our students along and for their continued commitment to improving the study experience for international students all over Aotearoa.  

• Sisterly celebration at Otago Polytechnic graduation (July 22 2021)

  Last weekend was a big one for Dunedin sisters Sharna Morgan and Tiana Smith, who finally crossed the stage of the Dunedin Town Hall on Friday 23 July as part of Otago Polytechnic’s graduation ceremony.

  Like many others, Sharna (on the left) and Tiana (on the right) were denied the chance to celebrate graduation in December 2020 then March this year, as the events were cancelled because of, firstly, a threat and, secondly, a Covid-19 alert level change.

  The sisters, who will be joined by more than 280 graduands at the Dunedin event (another 2200 people will graduate in absentia), were looking forward to sharing their success with whānau and friends.

  “My whakapapa is my connection to my whānau, tupuna, iwi and marae. Whakapapa is my identity – the more I embrace it, the more I feel whole,” says Sharna, who graduated with a New Zealand Certificate in Health and Wellbeing (Social and Community Services).

  “I celebrated my graduation with my family and kids prior and, following the official ceremony, headed to Hanmer Springs for some self-care and celebration with friends.”

  Tiana, who graduated with the New Zealand Certificate in Whānau Ora (a collaborative programme with the Arai Te Uru Kōkiri Training Centre), also planned to enjoy a celebration dinner with whānau.

  “This has been a long wait to graduate due to Covid-19 and the bomb threat. I am happy to finally graduate from a paper I am so proud of achieving,” Tiana said.

  “I have been a part of Kōkiri Training Centre since 2009. I came here after leaving high school, not knowing where I wanted to go or wanted to be.”

  A dozen years later, Tiana has several qualifications from both Kōkiri and Otago Polytechnic, including a New Zealand Diploma in Business (Project Management), “which I achieved while pregnant with my second child. That was a hard road, but I did it,” she reflects.

  Like her sister and wider whānau, Sharna has strong connections to Kōkiri (she completed the Certificate in Whanau Ora in 2019). In fact, she and Tiana now work at the South Dunedin-based training establishment.

  “Life doesn't stop when you study and I experienced situations in my personal life that I thought I would never endure,” Sharna says.

  “The team at Kōkiri has changed over the years, but the desire to grow, uplift and educate any person that walks through the door is a core value that I still witness today.”

  Tiana agrees: “The staff made me feel like I belonged and helped me throughout.

  “I plan to stay at Kōkiri under my amazing boss, Sarah Martin, and make this campus thrive!”

• Doctorate historic moment for Otago Polytechnic (July 22 2021)

  Like all good stories, Otago Polytechnic academic Adrian Woodhouse’s graduation tale is strewn with many twists.

  Adrian will make history on Friday 23 July when he becomes the first person to graduate with a Doctorate of Professional Practice from Otago Polytechnic.

  Adrian had a surprise planned for the three academic supervisors who have helped steer him on his Doctoral path: this afternoon (Thursday 22 July) as part of a Māori pre-graduation ceremony at Otago Polytechnic’s Dunedin campus, he presented each with a carving crafted from a whale bone he has had for the past three decades.

  Academic Leader of the Bachelor of Culinary Arts programme within Otago Polytechnic’s Food Design Institute, Adrian describes his Doctorate as “coming full circle” at Otago Polytechnic.

  He is referring to the fact he began studying at Otago Polytechnic as a 14-year-old schoolboy, when he took up night classes in bone carving, a period of study that spanned three years.

  Hence his ability to carve a fitting gesture to those who have overseen his academic work in recent years.

  “When I was a teenager, I discovered a whale rib at Whareakeake. I took it to my tutor at the time and we then took it to Ōtākou Marae, where it was blessed and cut into three portions. I was given one portion. And for the past 32 years, I have kept it.

  “I hadn’t picked up my tools in all those years. But I was inspired to create carvings for these people who have been such powerful forces in my academic journey.”

  Yet, the springer of surprises in turn received one this afternoon: his wife (Amanda Jane) and daughter (Eva) presented Adrian with a sculpture created by Chris Charteris, who first taught him all those years ago.

  “When Eva and I were trying to think of an appropriate taonga we decided that it would be cool to get something from Chris Charteris before we even knew of Adrian’s whalebone plans,” Amanda Jane explains.

  “I tracked down Chris, the Otago Polytechnic tutor who taught Adrian to bone-carve when he was 14. Chris remembered Adrian and was keen to be a part of this.”

  Adrian, who has taught culinary arts at Otago Polytechnic for the past 19 years, is recognised as a leader of his profession – he is the only individual to have received two New Zealand National Tertiary Teaching Awards.

  On leaving school at 16, he enrolled at Otago Polytechnic, doing cookery training. He worked in kitchens for free to build up his requisite experience/hours. The dedication paid off: “I had a long career working in restaurants for almost three decades,” he reflects.

  As an award-winning chef in the 1990s and early 2000s, he quickly became a leader in some of New Zealand’s top restaurants.

  For the last decade he has led the development of Bachelor of Culinary Arts programme, a highly innovative, design-led programme recognised as being world-leading in its approach.

  “I’ve gone from studying as a kid to trades training, to doing a Bachelors, a Masters, and now a Doctorate. I’ve clocked the game, so to speak – all at Otago Polytechnic, where I still teach.”

  Doctorate utilises traditional Māori storytelling approach

  Adrian Woodhouse’s weaving of multi-threaded stories, of whale bone, of carving, and of personal and professional cycles, befits not only his academic journey, but also reflects the medium and style of his Doctorate – titled “Torn Identītīes: A Kāi Tahu Pūrākau of Whiteness”. (Eds note: Identītīes is correct.)

  Pūrākau is a traditional Māori storytelling approach that draws on metaphor. Adrian used this, along with kaupapa Māori theory, to develop a methodology by which he could frame his work.

  “I needed to embrace a Māori storytelling mode that, nevertheless, has structures within it. And I suspect it is this aspect of my work that will have the greatest academic impact. It offers new ways of thinking through reflective storytelling.”

  A descendant of an early mixed-race marriage between a Kāi Tahu wahine and a European whaler, Adrian’s work looks back through the generations since that marriage, uncovering almost 200 years of cultural assimilation that have left him questioning the validity and legitimacy of his Kāi Tahu identity.

  “In summary, my Doctorate is an insider’s perspective from a self-labelled ‘white guy’ who is reclaiming his Kāi Tahu identity while exploring what this means for his personal and professional life.”

  Adrian’s Doctoral work is situated within a wider Kāi Tahu whānui narrative of cultural dislocation. As such, he hopes it will provide Kāi Tahu whānui with a tool to enable cultural reconnection, revitalisation and empowerment, especially for those who do not see themselves as meaningfully connected with their indigenous selves.

  “I have used Whiteness Theory to illuminate why I, and some other Kāi Tahu, have felt dislocated from that culture.

  “Although I had a passion for cooking from early age, one that led me to train in the classical French curriculum and to go on to work as a chef in the field of haute cuisine/fine dining, my Doctorate  actually critiques the institutions of Haute Cuisine and culinary education underpinned by it.

  “For example, as soon as you step into a traditional culinary school, you immediately learn French phases and Francophile ideologies, values and beliefs – things such as ‘mise en place’ and ‘julienne’ – and as you progress, the food gets more technical, more elaborate.

  “There is this Euro-centric hierarchy to food. If it is highly manipulated and theatrical, it is regarded as more cultured. These methodologies and approaches perpetuate ‘whiteness’ and further distance indigenous chefs and learners from their cultural identity.”

  Footnote: Otago Polytechnic introduced the Doctorate of Professional Practice programme in August 2017. Although Adrian Woodhouse is the first to graduate from the programme, former CEO Phil Ker was conferred an Honorary Doctorate of Professional Practice in March 2020.

  Adrian Woodhouse’s thesis can be found here

• Online student story: Zhu Xiaowen  (July 14 2021)

  Zhu Xiaowen is one of our offshore international students currently studying NZCEL (Level 4) from China where she lives with her family. 

  Zhu studied the NZCB Admin and Tech Resource Library and Level 5 Accounting (Applied Management) courses at the Dunedin campus back in 2019.

  At first, she had a hard time adjusting to the new environment and getting used to the language. Fortunately, her teachers and classmates were there to help her. 

  She says she misses the hospitability of Kiwis and the diversity of the students.

  She cherished simple things during her time in Dunedin, such as a little roadside library, the yellow-eyed penguins, wild ducks on the lake, the gym, the huge Central Library, and the piano room.

  Before she moved back to China, she went to Lake Pukaki, where she got to see a field of lupine flowers and majestic snow-capped mountains.

  She aims to see the glaciers and chase the aurora once she’s back in New Zealand. 

  Her IELTS expired last year, so she enrolled in NZCEL online to further improve her English skills and so that she won’t need to take IELTS again before enrolling in further study in New Zealand. When the border opens, she plans to study a Bachelor of Accounting.

  Zhu chose to study in New Zealand because it is international student-friendly, cost-friendly and has a good environment.

  She says Otago Polytechnic’s teaching methods are practical, which is helpful for future professional-related work. She feels that she can keep learning with the help of OPAIC. 

• Success Story: Dixa Fulara (July 7 2021)

  All the experience Dixa Fulara gained during her time at OPAIC is paying off in her new job in the hospitality sector.

  Dixa’s uncle, who moved to New Zealand more than a decade ago, encouraged her to come to the country for tertiary study after she graduated high school in New Delhi in 2018.

  She didn’t know if the move would pan out and had taken entrance exams for universities in India in case it didn’t.

  “The next thing I knew I was sitting in a plane to New Zealand and then I knew, okay it’s happening,” she says.

  She selected OPAIC because she had friends who had graduated from here and enjoyed their time. She’s glad she made that decision and says all of the lecturers and support staff at the polytechnic helped her a lot.

  As part of her study, she completed an internship with the polytechnic. She worked on reception while researching the way international students change their opinions and attitudes toward sustainability after coming to New Zealand.

  She says she found that many international students didn’t know a lot about sustainability prior to arrival but quickly embraced sustainable practices such as recycling.

  Since finishing her study in May, Dixa has landed a full-time job as Guest Service Attendant at Green Lane Suites - a small hotel catering mainly for corporate guests.

  It’s her first time working in the hospitality sector and she’s enjoying the experience. Throughout her study she worked in part-time sales and marketing roles.

  She says those part-time roles, as well as her internship at OPAIC, helped prepare her for her current jobs as all of the positions have been about making connections with people.

  “Dealing with students at reception is similar to dealing with guests,” she says.

  Dixa is grateful to OPAIC’s Employability Team who helped her secure her current position as well as her part-time roles as a student.

  Read more about the Bachelor of Applied Management. 

• IT student designs device for plant care (June 23 2021)

  Information Technology student Earnest Surya has designed an irrigation system for house plants as part of his programme.

  The device detects when a plant is dry and applies the right amount of water, he says.  

  It has three sensors which measure soil moisture, sunlight, and temperature.  When parameters reach a certain level, determined by a code, a pump is switched on and begins supplying water to the plant.

  An LED light signals that the pump is operating and it continues to do so until the plant has received enough water. 

  Earnest says this particular prototype has been designed for those who are worried about their houseplants dying while they’re away on holiday, but the same concept could be applied to bigger areas such as agricultural plantations.

  Earnest completed the project last block for his Embedded Systems course in his Bachelor of Information Technology.

  He’s says he’s happy with how the project has turned out and he’s given the system to his lecturer who he knows is a fan of houseplants.  

• Pole position for EV learning (June 17 2021)

  Otago Polytechnic is well placed to meet the increasing demand for the specialist skills required to service and repair electric vehicles. 

  “Although it is difficult to draw a direct connection between inquiries and the Government’s recent EV subsidy announcement, I’ve received a number of inquiries this week related to our EV programmes,” says Kevin O’Neill, Senior Lecturer, Automotive Engineering, Otago Polytechnic. 

  “Our Automotive Engineering department has offered the New Zealand Certificate in Electric Vehicle Automotive Engineering (Level 5), both locally and nationally, for almost two years. 

  “We designed and introduced the programme in August 2019 and it has subsequently evolved as a result of close collaborations and discussions with local industry. It covers a range of EV technologies, safety and repair. 

  “Certainly, we have seen an increasing number of automotive technicians looking to upskill in regards Electric Vehicles.  

  “Given the increasing demand and use of electric vehicles, Otago Polytechnic is working closely with other training providers within the sector to develop and roll out quality programmes for electric vehicle and hybrid training. 

  “For example, we have worked closely with Hawkes Bay-based Eastern Institute of Technology (EIT), which recently became the second ITP, after Otago Polytechnic, to offer the New Zealand Certificate in Electric Vehicle Automotive Engineering,” Kevin explains. 

  Read the Otago Daily Times article

  Read about our EV programme

   

• Kia ora Mark Cartwright (June 17 2021)

  Mark Cartwright is buzzing with excitement about his new role as Head of College: Engineering, Construction & Living Sciences.

  Mark, who takes up the position on Monday, 21 June, describes the job as “amazing” and a “natural, albeit significant step” on his career pathway.

  “I am moving from a highly rewarding position as General Manager for Workforce Central Dunedin, where I have been responsible for establishing the job and skills hub linked to the New Dunedin Hospital with a small team.”

  Mark has extensive experience within work-based learning environments, including leading team culture transformation, developing and sustaining an engaged workforce, planning, implementing regional strategy and operational oversight.

  Mark is also a strong advocate of diversity within the sector. During his time working at BCITO, he championed the “Women in Trades” programme, his team contributing to the Southern region having the highest participation levels of females in construction-related trades nationally.

  Like many within the sector, Mark is committed to ongoing professional development. He has just completed an Executive Master of Business Administration through Massey.

  “I am a collaborative leader. I like to engage with stakeholders and customers and am genuinely results-focused.

  “I am looking forward to having my abilities challenged as I attempt to help Otago Polytechnic in its continual efforts to improve as an organization.”

  Mark will be welcomed to Otago Polytechnic with a mihi on Monday, 21 June, at 9am

   

• Online student story: Myriah Hankins (June 16 2021)

  Myriah Hankins is one of our offshore online students studying the Postgraduate Certificate in Applied Management.  

  They live in Columbus, Ohio, USA and currently work as a Recruiter and HR Manager for FedEx contractors.

  Myriah lived and worked in Wellington, New Zealand, from 2015 to 2019. Initially, they lived in Australia on a working holiday visa, and then moved to New Zealand, also on a working holiday visa.

  After that working holiday visa expired, they stayed for three more years on a series of work visas.

  Initially, Myriah did not know anyone in New Zealand, but eventually, they made friends from work and from the LGBTQ+ community.

  Over time, the place grew on them, particularly the culture and the large LGBTQ+ community in Wellington.

  Myriah is an outdoorsy person who spent most of their time in the woods or at the beach. Some of their more memorable experiences were participating in a traditional Temazcal sweat lodge, skinny dipping in the freezing ocean and going to drag and theatre shows.

  Unfortunately, Myriah had to go back to America when their work visa ended, but realised they did not want to let go of the life they had in Wellington.

  Now, they are studying in the hopes of being able to go back and stay for good in New Zealand.

  They’re attending classes every Friday and Saturday at odd hours due to time zones and working full time on top of that. Nonetheless, Myriah is able to participate actively in the class, and is learning a lot.

  Photo credit: Becki Moss

• Success Story: Suparajit (Gink) Laorutdecha (June 11 2021)

  Suparajit (Gink) Laorutdecha says there’s never a shortage of work in the construction sector and that’s what makes it such a good industry to enter.

  “If you’ve learned about construction, you’ll find a job easily, if you have a good attitude and a good personality.”

  She had a background in construction in Thailand and decided to undertake the New Zealand Diploma in Construction (Quantity Surveying) at OPAIC to learn how the industry differs here from in Thailand.

  She found a part-time labouring job at a painting and plastering company while she was studying. Since graduating she has moved into a Quantity Surveyor position at the company, where she is responsible for pricing and site management.

  Gink says what she learned in her programme at OPAIC is very applicable to what she now does in her job, particularly the programme content related to measurement and the tendering process.

  Her favourite part of her job is getting out and meeting people.

  “In Quantity Surveying you need to have good relationships with people. That’s the best thing.”

  Gink has stayed in touch with her OPAIC lecturers as well as friends she made in her construction programme. She says most of her classmates have stayed in New Zealand and are now working in the construction sector here, including one who has joined her at her company.

  She recently returned to OPAIC to talk to our current students about plasterboard lining.

  She said she enjoyed coming back to the campus and meeting the current cohort of students and hopes to work with lecturers to arrange some internships for students at her company in the future.  

  Gink says people in New Zealand and all over the world are always in need of new buildings. Construction never ends - that’s what makes it a good industry to work in and why she encourages others to study in the field.

  Read more about the New Zealand Diploma in Construction.

• Funding boost for Wildlife Hospital (June 10 2021)

  The Dunedin Wildlife Hospital received good news earlier this week as The Dunedin City Council announced it would provide $75,000 per annum for three years. 

  Wildlife Hospital Trust manager Jordana Whyte said hospital staff felt “huge relief” and gratitude after learning of the decision. 

  The Wildlife Hospital officially opened in 2018 and operates out of Otago Polytechnic’s School of Veterinary Nursing. 

  Read more here

   

• Student Story: Tianxiang (Shawn) Chen (June 10 2021)

  Tianxiang (Shawn) Chen didn’t realise how much he was learning in his New Zealand Certificate in English Language programme until he began his master’s study.

  He’s now putting everything he learned about academic writing and critical thinking to use in his master’s degree.

  Thanks to his English studies, he now knows how to look at things from different perspectives, make an unbiased analysis, and evaluate evidence.

  “I don’t think NZCEL and master’s are too different. It’s a different level but the topic and the thinking are totally the same. Both of them are about critical thinking.”

  Completing NZCEL has also given him a head start on understanding the rules of academic writing. He says students going straight into the master’s degree can be confused by those rules initially.

  “I totally know the rules of APA so it’s easier for me.”

  Shawn says he loved the context behind his NZCEL studies. His lecturers selected excellent resources which connected to his life and local and global issues.

  He has advice for other students beginning their English studies: “My suggestion is, give up your mother tongue and totally dip into the local language environment.”

  Making friends from other countries would help with that, he says.  

  “Make mistakes. If you’re always trying to protect yourself, your teachers can’t find your mistakes and modify them. So, practice making mistakes.”

  Shawn says English language study can be particularly hard for Chinese students because the English language system is so different to their own.

  “Even now I make lots of mistakes, but I don’t care. I can speak two languages, I’m proud of that,” he says.

  Prior to coming to New Zealand, Shawn worked for pharmaceutical companies in China.

  He hopes to finish his master’s qualification by the end of the year then return home to see his wife and young son who has changed a lot in the time they’ve been separated due to Covid-19 restrictions.

  “I was joking to my classmates that after I go back my son would introduce his wife to me.”

  Shawn hopes he’ll later be able to return to New Zealand with his family and look for opportunities in the pharmaceutical sector here.

  Read more about our New Zealand Certificate in English Language (Level 5) here.

• Audacious ideas from OP Students (June 3 2021)

  Learners from Otago Polytechnic showcased incredible ideas at an Audacious event on Wednesday 2 June.

  Joined by University of Otago students, they explored and refined ideas to solve problems in the community. They developed businesses, social enterprises and not-for-profit startup projects. The finalists pitched proposals from food waste management to game development.

  Some startup ideas include:

  • Re-shined Roots: Crackers from upcycled vegetables.
  • Squirm: Different ways to make compost accessible to students.
  • Ruby + Pearl: Plant-based bubble tea.
  • MaltedGold: Unsweetened barley and oak milk.
  • O Biz by besocialbella: Educational content on social media.
  • Ngāti games: Learn Te Reo Māori while gaming

  Katie Mangai, our Fashion Design student, developed LUNI: a subscription box service for maternity clothing. She was inspired by the many pregnant women who experienced the challenge of maintaining their sense of self with clothing that reflects who they are and fits them right. The service's purpose is to increase their confidence while they experience their unique journeys.

  Katie received the Firebrand Transformational Package after pitching this bold idea, which includes marketing communications and website development services. 

  In addition, Dion Bedford, a Bachelor of Information Technology student, was among the finalists with a mental health app designed to avoid student burnout. Both courageous students were amazed by the Audacious programme by Startup Dunedin, and grateful for their lecturer's support, who accompanied them during the event.

  What's Audacious?

  Audacious is a free programme for Otago Polytechnic and University of Otago students that builds entrepreneurial skills and confidence to turn ideas into reality. Students will learn techniques, tools, and methodologies to start businesses and solve problems during the semester. No experience is required, and there are some fantastic prizes (over $10,000 worth!!) up for grabs!

  The next cohort starts in Semester 2, 2021, and we encourage all OP students to apply and explore ideas to make a better world.

  For more information visit Audacious website. 

• Otago Polytechnic graduates on iD judging panel (June 3 2021)

  Organisers of the iD International Emerging Designer Awards, in partnership with Otago Polytechnic, have announced a highly respected panel of 16 judges, from four countries, to assess this year’s 41 finalists.

  Dr Margo Barton, Professor of Fashion at Otago Polytechnic and iD Dunedin Fashion Inc Chair, is thrilled at the calibre of this year’s panel, which will be led by head judge Tanya Carlson, Design Director of Carlson (NZ).

  “It’s wonderful for the iD International Emerging Designer Awards finalists to have their designs shared with such a sage and influential panel.

  “On a personal note, I’m particularly pleased two of the panel - Anna Ross and Tara Viggo - are Otago Polytechnic Fashion Design graduates. Tara was also an iD finalist in 2006.”

  The panel will judge the garments from a combination of written documentation, including designer statements and influences, collection photos and video from the finalists. They will be choosing the following award winners:

  • The Otago Polytechnic First Prize ($5000)
  • Second Prize ($3,000)
  • Third Prize ($1,000)
  • VIVA Magazine Best NZ Emerging Designer
  • Most Sustainable Collection
  • Bremworth Natural Luxury with Wool

  The winners will be announced at the sold out “Two Shows/One Night - Gala Fashion Show” on Saturday 19 June, which is the highlight of iD Dunedin Fashion Weekend.

  The panel led by head judge Tanya Carlson, Design Director of  Carlson (NZ) is: Amanda Linnell, Editor in Chief, Viva Magazine (NZ);  Anna Ross, Director, Kester Black (NZ); Carla van Lunn, Fashion Educator & Designer (Australia); Charmaine Reveley, Design Director, Charmaine Reveley, (NZ); Dame Denise L'Estrange-Corbet, Design Director, WORLD, (NZ); Donna Tulloch, Design Director, Mild Red, (NZ); Doris de Pont, New Zealand Fashion Museum, (NZ); Jacinta FitzGerald, Head of Programmes, Mindful Fashion, (NZ); Jessie Wong, Design Director, Yu Mei, (NZ); Katie Dominy, Cofounder, Arts Thread; (England); Margarita Robertson, Design Director, NOM*d; (NZ); Michael Dye, Fashion Journalist, Cellotape Magazine, (England); Patty Huntington, Australian correspondent WWD, fashion commentator ABC, (Australia); Sara Maino, Senior Editor, Vogue Italia, (Italy); Sara Munro, Design Director, Company of Strangers; (NZ); Tara Viggo, Design Director, Paper Theory (England).

  Details of all the weekend’s events follow:

  iD Fashion Weekend Opening Event

  "The Awakening of Future Disruptors, in partnership with Otago Polytechnic" on Friday 18 June from 7pm – 9pm.

  This student-run evening will showcase Otago Polytechnic’s student designers as they present their disruption through design on an unconventional runway. Upon entry guests receive a complimentary drink, along with tastings created by the talented students from Otago Polytechnic’s Culinary Arts programme. Enjoy live music from Judah Kelly and mingle while watching Otago Polytechnic fashion students put all their talents on display to create an event that engages all the senses. Tickets are available through the iD website.

  Otago Polytechnic/iD Dunedin Annual Fashion Symposium

  While you’re in a fashion frame of mind, consider attending the Otago Polytechnic/iD Dunedin Annual Fashion Symposium on Friday 18 June. Academics and designers will consider “Fashion Forward >> Disruption” from 10am-4pm at the Barclay Theatre and Beautiful Science Gallery, Otago Museum.

  Curator Guided Tour of Fashion Forward >> Disruption Through Design

  This will be followed at 4pm by a Curator Guided Tour of Fashion Forward >> Disruption Through Design at Otago Museum. Exhibition curators, Professor of Fashion, Otago Polytechnic and iD Dunedin Fashion Inc. Chair Dr Margo Barton, and Otago Museum’s Moira White and Dr Jane Malthus will share a behind the scenes view of the exhibition, the museum archives pieces and the 17 year history of the iD International Emerging Designer Awards.

  Tanya Carlson of Carlson at Otago Museum Fashion Fridays

  Former Dunedin resident and head juror for the iD Dunedin International Emerging Designer Awards in partnership with Otago Polytechnic, Tanya Carlson of Carlson will headline Fashion Fridays at 5.30pm at Otago Museum. Tickets are essential and available through the Otago Museum website.

  What the Judges Saw Panel Discussion

  Head to Otago Museum on Sunday 20 June at 3.30pm for ‘What the Judges Saw’, a free panel discussion. Head judge and fashion designer Tanya Carlson, of Carlson and jurors; Margi Robertson of NOM*d, Donna Tulloch of Mild-Red and Charmaine Reveley of Charmaine Reveley will share their observations on this year’s judging, with chair Amanda Linnell,  Viva Magazine’s editor in chief.

   For all iD Dunedin Fashion Weekend info and to see the finalists in the iD International Emerging Designer Awards 2021 in partnership with Otago Polytechnic visit the iD website.

   

• Game Jam a huge success (May 27 2021)

  Game Jam a huge success

  Over the weekend dozens of year 12 and 13 high school students from around Dunedin gathered at Otago Polytechnic to take part in the inaugural Dunedin Game Jam. The goal, design a fully-fledged electronic game over 48 hours.

  The event was a huge success which exceeded everyone's expectations!

  Media coverage for the event was phenomenal - you may even have seen a few familiar faces on TV3 The Project on Friday night.

  Check out more about Game Jam here:

  Kiwis turn up in digital gamers' battle & Game Jam for budding developers

  Thank you to everyone involved - your hard work made it the success that it was!
  
  

  Read more about Dunedin Schools Game Jam and Techweek

• Otago Polytechnic to host Game Jam (May 20 2021)

  Otago Polytechnic is set to host the inaugural Dunedin Schools Game Jam.

  The event is open to Dunedin high school students studying the digital curriculum at years 12 and 13, and will run over the weekend of 28-30 May.

  Students will form teams and be assigned a theme on the inaugural night, and then spend the next 48 hours designing and coding a fully-fledged game.

  Game Jam will culminate in a mini showcase of games on Sunday evening. Open to the public, the showcase includes food and the chance to win spot prizes.

  Game Jam is part of Techweek, a nationwide series of events showcasing New Zealand’s fast growing technology and innovation sectors.

  “Over the past several years, Dunedin has firmly established itself as a viable destination for major game studios,” Otago Polytechnic Information Technology Principal Lecturer Adon Moskal says.

  “Now, with the help of CODE, Otago Polytechnic is proud to be able to host an event that offers budding game developers a taste of this exciting industry.”

  New Zealand’s games scene is fast becoming a billion-dollar industry. Tech companies, both in New Zealand and globally, are in need of specialist game designers and developers.

  Recognising this growth, Otago Polytechnic is creating game development pathways within relevant existing qualifications.

  From 2022 our Bachelor of Information Technology and Bachelor of Design (Communication) degrees will offer a focus on gaming development.

  Learners would graduate not only with the wider skills and knowledge within those degree programmes, but also be armed with a portfolio of skills and experience tailored to the games industry.

  Read more about Otago Polytechnic’s game development pathways

  Read more about Dunedin Schools Game Jam and Techweek

• Kōrero with Te Pūkenga team (May 24 2021)

  You’re invited to kōrero with Te Pūkenga 

  The Te Pūkenga Leadership Team will be in The Hub on Wednesday 23 June 2021 for Kōtui kōrero – a conversation with Te Pūkenga.

  This event will include an update on Te Pūkenga mahi over the last six months, as well as looking ahead to the next six months. The 60-minute sessions will include plenty of time for questions.

  The Leadership Team is visiting fifteen locations and hosting two online sessions over a four week period, starting on Thursday 10 June. 

  An appointment will be sent to all staff.  A link to join on-line will be added to the appointment in due course.  The session will be recorded.

  If you’re able to join Kōtui kōrero in The Hub please complete a registration of interest. This will help us to gather information to ensure the sessions are great for everyone.

  Several breakout sessions will be held in most locations, where attendees can provide their thoughts on the proposed operating model, draft academic regulations and see our latest work to further ensure ākonga / learners are at the centre.
  
  

  Timeline:

  • 10.30am: Mihi whakatau
  • 11am-12.00pm: 60-minute presentation open to staff and learners; Q&A session (The Hub).
  • 12.15pm-1.45pm: 2x breakout sessions. Operating Model/Learner Journey (The Hub) and  Academic Regulations (H224)
    
    

  Visit Te Pūkenga website for more details. 

   

• Fresh issue of 'Hauora Health' (May 20 2021)

  The second issue of Hauora Health is out now. A panui showcasing health and wellbeing research across Te Pukenga network, the latest issue includes research from Wintec’s Dr Andre McLaclan into traditional Māori pathways of wellbeing, stories on the world's largest recorded campylobacter outbreak, 'escape rooms' adapted as a teaching aid for nursing students, a midwifery perspective on the care of women with increased BMI and much more. Click here to read Hauora Health.

• Let's work together (May 15 2021)

  Tomorrow, Friday 21 May, is Pink Shirt Day.

  It’s all about working together to stop bullying by celebrating diversity and promoting kindness and inclusiveness.

  Every year, one in 10 workers in Aotearoa report being bullied in the workplace. Read the research here

  Otago Polytechnic is committed to providing a safe working and learning environment in which all staff and students are treated with respect and dignity. We offer a self-paced course on harassment and bullying training for staff, and another course for formal leaders.

  By celebrating Pink Shirt Day or fundraising for the kaupapa, our workplace becomes part of the movement to end bullying, celebrate diversity and spread aroha and kindness.

  Help us celebrate on Friday 21 May by wearing pink and donating at in the buckets at Eden and Hinaki café.

  Read more about Pink Shirt Day here

  Find out more about Harassment and Bullying Prevention Training for staff at Otago Polytechnic here

• Head of College of Work Based Learning can't wait to start (May 19 2021)

  Having accrued an impressive record working with industry and within our sector, Liz McKenzie says she can’t wait to continue her mahi as Otago Polytechnic’s Head of College of Work Based Learning.

  “I’m excited about the possibilities of building and strengthening relationships with industry representatives, employers and the local community, and being able to meet their needs through a variety of work-based learning models,” Liz says.

  A strong advocate of the benefits of on-job and apprenticeship training, Liz regards her new role as an opportunity to help ensure the successful elements of the current industry training model are not lost through any Review of Vocational Education (RoVE) changes.

  “I’m looking forward to helping Otago Polytechnic, as part of Te Pūkenga, deliver nationally consistent outcomes at a regional level that are relevant and meaningful for industry, employers, and work-based learners.

  “I want to see the best parts of industry training and the best parts of provider training be brought together for a better learner experience – no matter what the setting.”

  Despite enjoying the independence and flexibility of being a self-employed contractor/consultant for the past 15 years, Liz leapt at the chance to join Otago Polytechnic.

  “This role seems to have been created to perfectly match my skills and experience.

  “I’m looking forward to being in a team environment again, too.”

  Outside of work, Liz values spending time with her family.

  “We like to spend as much time as possible relaxing at our wee crib in Naseby – and love having family and friends come and join us. 

   “My daughter is in her high school curling team, so I’ve spent a bit of time on the ‘sidelines’, both in Naseby and in Dunedin, and this year have agreed to be the team manager.”

  She also likes to keep fit – usually by walking, swimming, or at the gym.

  “I completed the 10km event of the 2019 Dunedin marathon. This was a proud accomplishment for me after what could easily be described as a life-long aversion to running.

  “That said, it was probably a one-off!”

   

   

• 2020 Annual Report completed (May 19 2021)

  We have recently completed the 2020 annual report, which was signed off by Audit New Zealand on 30 April. 

  The annual report is a bit different than usual, as it is made up of a three-month period from 1 January 2020 until 31 March 2020 and a nine-month period from 1 April 2020 until 31 December 2020 (as we became OP Limited on the 1 of April 2020).

  The combined financial result for the full 12-month period is a surplus of just short of $5.4 million. However, some of the favourable result is due to required period end accounting adjustments.  Net of these adjustments, the real surplus is $3.6 million, which is 3.6% of revenue. This is a fantastic result considering the impacts of the pandemic, so please accept our thanks to everyone for helping us achieve this. 

  We were aided considerably by the Targeted Training and Apprenticeship Funding (TTAF), meaning that our enrolments in programmes that are eligible for TTAF were very high, resulting in extra revenue.  Costs were also lower than budget with significant pandemic related savings in travel, professional development and clinical training.

  While the financial result is important, the really critical factor is cash flow. For the 12-month period we had a cash deficit of $1.2 million. This was funded by increased borrowings. Some of the cash deficit was due to a delay in the receipt of some of the TTAF funds from TEC and some of it is due to expenditure on capital development.  

  We are now moving to focus on the 2021 year, and the forecast process is happening at present. The budget was for a break-even result for 2021, but we are hopeful that we may be able to return a small surplus due to the increased enrolments in many of our programmes.  We do, however, also have increased costs due to the extra learners and capital expenditure to fund.

  Once the forecast is completed we will be able to provide an update on the 2021 outlook.

  Sincere thanks to everyone for helping us to achieve (or better) our financial targets – it really is appreciated.

  You can find our 2020 Annual Report here

   

   

   

• Student Story: Tatiana Poletaeva (May 19 2021)

  Tatiana Poletaeva is putting the four main components of her English language studies - reading, writing, listening, and speaking – to use in her Master’s degree.

  Tatiana worked as an engineer, architect, and quantity surveyor in the construction field back home in Russia.

  She always dreamed of living and working in another country, particularly an English-speaking one where she could interact with native speakers and experience the culture.

  OPAIC’s Master of Applied Management appealed to her because she loves getting to know people and a management career would give her more opportunities to interact with others.

  But before she could begin her master’s study, she needed to improve her English, so she enrolled in the New Zealand Certificate in English Language (NZCEL).

  Just as she was due to start her English programme, the country went into lockdown and she found herself studying online. While online study was new for her, it suited her well and she was still able to communicate with her classmates.

  “It was so nice. Everything was so structured. I really enjoyed that time. It was a really good experience.”

  She says her English programme included four main components - reading, writing, listening and speaking.

  She’s now using those skills in her Master of Applied Management degree. Everything she learned about listening and speaking is now helping her with presentations. Reading and writing is essential for her assignments, as she needs to read a lot of academic articles which NZCEL taught her to do.  

  “Everything was so useful for me.”

  She’s taken other opportunities available to her at OPAIC to help her settle into a new country, develop her language skills, and build her networks, including becoming a student ambassador and doing conservation volunteer work.

  “I really like to meet new people from other countries – to understand their culture,” she says.

  She also made use of free learning support services to practice her pronunciation and get extra tips.

  Tatiana recommends the NZCEL course to anyone who asks. She encourages them to make use of OPAIC’s new online offerings for overseas students. They allows students to gain a certificate during this difficult time while they wait for the borders to open while saving money on travel and accommodation.

  Tatiana hopes to finish her master’s programme by the end of this year. After that she’d like to return to the construction sector, hopefully as a construction manager or property manager.

  Read more about New Zealand Certificate in English Language (Academic) (Level 5).

  Read more about studying online.

• Online student story: Gina Aballe (May 18 2021)

  Gina Aballe’s online study experience is off to a good start and she looks forward to joining the OPAIC family on campus when travel restrictions allow.

  She is currently studying a Postgraduate Certificate in Applied Management online. She plans to use the programme as a pathway to the Master of Applied Management (Business Information Systems), which she hopes to study on-campus.  

  Gina is studying from her home country of the Philippines. She is juggling her study with her work as a Software Testing Analyst at Accenture.

  "Juggling work, studies and home chores are really challenging. I still haven't mastered the art of managing everything all at once. I'm taking it one day at a time and really trying to keep up with everything.”

  “Though it's a bit overwhelming, each class session is very informative and helpful. Materials are very precise as well."

  Gina first visited New Zealand in 2017, when she toured the South Island, from Dunedin to Queenstown to Milford Sound.

  She was welcomed by cool temperatures at the end of August. During her travels she noticed the safety and cleanliness of New Zealand. She was able to roam around Dunedin on her own. The people were kind and assisted her when she asked for directions. Those factors made her realise that she wanted to settle in that kind of environment.

  Aside from it being a recreational visit, she was in New Zealand to help her sister, who just had her second baby at the time.

  She decided she’d like to study at Otago Polytechnic’s Dunedin campus one day to be close to her sister. However, she ended up enrolling at the Auckland campus instead because it offered the programme she was most keen on.

  She looks forward to being just a short plane ride away from her sister when Covid restrictions lift.

  Read more about online study here.

• Gaming passion inspires IT project (May 17 2021)

  Information Technology student, Nemanja Vukikjevikj, is giving retro video games a new life through a device built as part of his studies.

  Nemanja made the device for his Embedded Systems course, which he is completing as part of his Bachelor of Information Technology at OPAIC.

  It uses emulators to run games from different consoles including PlayStation, and Gameboy Advance.

  The device includes Pokémon, Crash Bandicoot, Digimon World, Mortal Kombat, Pepsiman, Tekken 3 and Persona 2, all games Nemanja grew up playing in Macedonia.

  The system can run games from any era, but he’s selected games that were popular in the 80s, 90s, and early 2000s.

  Nemanja says he’s had a love for gaming since he was four or five years old and played with his father. Over the years he has formed many friendships that started with a mutual love of gaming.

  He recently organised a Tekken tournament on campus, bringing students from different programmes and cultures together.

  He says the IT project has taught him that if you are really willing to apply yourself to learning something, then it will pay off. The pay-off may not always be monetary, but if something brings you joy, it is never a wasted skill, he says.

• Welcoming our Online Student Representative (May 13 2021)

  We’d like to welcome our recently appointed Online Student Representative, Anne M Gonzales, known as AG.

  She will work closely with our on-campus Student Representative, Chris William, to make sure she and the rest of the online students get all the support they need.

  AG is from the Philippines. She is currently studying a Postgraduate Certificate in Applied Management which she plans to use as a pathway to the Master of Applied Management (Business Information Systems).

  AG has a bachelor's degree in Computer Science. She has been working in the software industry for six years. She has worked under multi-national companies which helped her hone her leadership, communication, and presentation skills.

  She says she hopes to use these skills in her Online Student Representative role and even improve upon them. She’s very thankful for this opportunity.

  Online students are welcome to get in touch with AG regarding any questions, concerns or suggestions about their study via their group chat.

  Otago Polytechnic Auckland International Campus has recently introduced online study for students who wish to study Applied Management or English online from outside New Zealand. Read more about it here.

• Student Story: Haoluan Lyu (May 12 2021)

   

  Haoluan (Aaron) Lyu is using the academic skills he gained during his English programme here at OPAIC, to help him with his Construction studies.

  Aaron came to New Zealand from Shanghai during high school. He studied basic English in school. However, he needed a more academic programme to prepare him for tertiary study, so he enrolled in our New Zealand Certificate in English Language.

  The programme was different from the English study he had done in the past and he found it difficult at first. But now he’s glad he worked hard and completed the programme.

  It taught him how academic English worked, which prepared him for his Construction programme. He’s now better able to structure his written assignments. His vocabulary has improved too.

  He says his teachers were excellent and made English writing structures clear and logical.

  “The most important part is, don’t give up.”

  Aaron always wanted to go into the construction industry. He plans to move into the Bachelor of Construction after his diploma. After he graduates, he hopes to find a job as a site assessor then eventually a site manager.

  For now, he’s enjoying the challenge of his construction diploma and also finding time for extracurricular events around campus including our recent Sinhala and Tamil New Year celebration.

  He also works part-time as a trainee electrician, which he says helps him with his construction studies as the fields are related.

  Learn more about the New Zealand Certificate in English Language (Academic) (Level 4).

• Nursing, Midwifery celebration focuses on self-care (May 11 2021)

  It’s an oft-repeated line that “team” or “teamwork” contains no “i”. Yet an Otago Polytechnic School of Nursing academic wants those in the profession to start focusing on themselves a bit more.

  The notion of “i” – or more specifically “I” – was firmly on the agenda as part of a dual celebration of nurses and midwives at Otago Polytechnic’s Hub today, Wednesday, 12 May.

  “The celebration of the International Year of the Nurse and Midwife 2020 has been combined with events to mark International Year of the Nurse 2021, as we couldn’t celebrate together in 2020 because of Covid-19,” explains event co-organiser Vicki Yarker-Jones, Senior Lecturer at Otago Polytechnic’s School of Nursing.

  The event comprised a symposium with the overall theme “Self Care in Health Care”, and featured a range of speakers. The formal aspect of the event was followed by a “Tea-time, Me-time" tea party in the Hub.

  “As a nurse, both at the coalface and in education, over the last 30 years, I have witnessed a lack of priorities and/or tools in regards self-care,” Vicki says.

  “There is a very real need to care for those who do the caring. We need to go back to basics  and start caring for ‘I’, if nursing is to have a sustainable future.”

  The symposium featured a range of organisations within the health sector. Staff and students from Otago Polytechnic’s School of Nursing were joined by representatives from the Otago Polytechnic School of Midwifery, University of Otago, Southern Institute of Technology, SDHB and representatives from clinical practice.

• Dunedin School of Art Foundation Fundraising Art Auction (May 6 2021)

  20 MAY, 6-9PM, DUNEDIN SCHOOL OF ART, P BLOCK, 17 RIEGO STREET, DUNEDIN.
  
  

  An exclusive fundraising art auction to support the DSA Artist Scholarships Programme

  
  A night to enjoy – Art, and the best of local food and wine

  
  The Art Auction will include selected works by celebrated NZ artists:
  Madeleine Child
  Scott Eady
  Graham Fletcher
  Sam Foley
  Sara Hughes
  Simon Kaan
  Gregor Kregar
  Pete Wheeler
  Jenna Packer

  All auction proceeds will be used for scholarships to support students and artist-in-residence workshops.

   

  VIEWING PRIOR TO AUCTION
  All lots will be exhibited in the DSA Gallery, P Block, 17 Riego Street, from 10 am to 5 pm, 17 – 20 May.

   

  See catalogue PDF for conditions of sale.

  
  

   

  Please click on link to download 
  DSA Art Auction and Exhibition
  Schedule for the Evening
  20 May 2021

   

• What's new in the Leadership Toolbox? (May 3 2021)

  What's New in the Leadership Toolbox?

   Each month we update you on what is new in the leadership support toolbox.  The Toolbox content is designed around 14 leadership themes.  Click on the link to discover what these Leadership Themes have to offer.   You also have a change to contributions to the leadership resources by emailing pctdevelopment@op.ac.nz with anything you consider would be valuable to share with others at OP.  

  We've been busy adding content to the themes.  The articles and learnings listed below are from reputable organisations are centered around what is new and exciting in todays world.  Listed below is content we have added into the tiles in the toolbox during February:

  Leadership Models and Concepts 

  • Unlearn to transform.
  • Leading effectively: Tips for improving your learning agility.
  • Top 5 most important lessons from Stanford Biz School's most popular class, nicknamed "Touchy Feely"

  Coaching and Mentoring

  • Why mentoring matters to those who lead.

  Safety and Wellbeing

  • Feeling overstressed and overwhelmed? Try the help first rule
  • The organizational cost of insufficient sleep
  • How wellbeing improves performance
  • Steve Jobs never turned off his iPhone except for this one reason

  Information for New Leaders

  • Want to be a better leader: Science says to say thank you a lot more often
  • Seven steps to better brainstorming
  • 5 signs that will identify someone with true leadership skills
  • 1 clear sign to recognize someone with the gift of leadership

  Resilience as a Leader

  • Zooming in and out of stress
  • 4 effective ways to keep burnout at bay 

  Building High Performing Teams

  • Psychological safety and the critical role of leadership development

  Leadership Communication

  • The way you give feedback is all wrong. Here how to do it right.
  • How Gen Z may change workplace communication for good
  • Improving your listening skills 

  Change Leadership

  • Leading effectively: Adapting to change requires flexibility

  Career and Professional Development

  • How to encourage employees to learn at work

  We hope that some of these topics have sparked your interest and you go into the toolbox and have a look around at what it offers.  Please let us know if you have any new items, articles, learnings that you would like to share and we will add these to the toolbox.

  People & Culture

• Proud to receive Rainbow Tick reaccreditation (April 21 2021)

  Otago Polytechnic is proud to have achieved Rainbow Tick reaccreditation, acknowledging that we accept and value people in the workplace, embracing the diversity of sexual and gender identities.

  Otago Polytechnic welcomes and includes everyone regardless of gender, gender identity, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, marital status, age, disability, religious or ethical beliefs or political opinions.

  Rainbow Tick certification is granted to organisations that complete a diversity and inclusion certification process. To gain certification, Otago Polytechnic showed, against a number of criteria, that it is diverse, open and inclusive as an employer. That includes strategies and policies that specifically mention inclusion; reporting on inclusion at all levels, including governance; and training offered to staff.

  Julie Watson, Rainbow Tick Programme Manager, acknowledged Otago Polytechnic’s mahi via a virtual presentation earlier this week.

  “It gives me great pleasure to present – albeit virtually – the Rainbow Tick certificate to Otago Polytechnic.

  “I’d like to congratulate you on creating a positive environment for your staff. And it is important for members of the Rainbow Community to see the Rainbow flag flying on Forth St.”

  “Rainbow” refers to people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, takatāpui and intersex (LGBTTQIA+). The Rainbow flag means we are committed to providing a safe, welcoming and inclusive workplace for all staff, regardless of their gender identity and expression, sex characteristics, or sexual orientation.

  Stuart Terry and Veronique Olin, alongside a small, dedicated team, have led this work at Otago Polytechnic. They point out that it is crucial our organisation continues to build and improve on the processes that have created a positive, inclusive environment for staff.

  “We have well established policies and processes in place and we are now at a stage of refining these. As an inclusive organisation, we have previously supported staff who have transitioned gender in our workplace, but we recognise the need to have policy and guidelines that can better support this.

  “We are the only ITP to have been awarded the Rainbow Tick and were one of the first organisations in the South Island to gain the certification, in December 2016.

  “We are looked on as being a leader in this space by other organisations in the city.”

  Read more about Rainbow Tick

   

• Deadline for feedback extended (April 19 2021)

  Te Pūkenga has advised it has extended its timeline for feedback on its operating model.

  Originally, the deadline for feedback was Friday 23 April. However, the Te Pūkenga portal will remain open over the ANZAC weekend period.

  For more information, visit the Te Pūkenga citizenlab portal. Feedback can be shared directly via the platform.

  Te Pūkenga has recently released an explanatory video on the principles that guide the operating model and has also created a series of short audio descriptions for the seven service concepts. These are available directly via the links below:

  • Adaptive Skills + Lifelong Learner Record
  • Digital Cooperatives
  • Every Step of the Way
  • Mātauranga Innovation Hubs
  • My Teacher, My Way
  • Te Pūkenga Rovers
  • A Good Place to Work

   

   

• Student Story: Christiaan William (April 19 2021)

  South African Christiaan William landed on New Zealand soil just before the world had heard about Covid-19.

  In November 2019, he took leave from his job at North West University to finish his master’s degree and visit family in New Zealand who he hadn’t seen in years.

  It was his first time traveling out of Africa and he’d been planning the trip for nearly a year. However, soon after he arrived, the borders closed and he became stuck.

  “I decided, why not make the most of the opportunity and do something different.”

  He noticed OPAIC was offering Covid-19 Relief Scholarships. While the discounted fees appealed to him, he was more impressed that the polytechnic really seemed to understand that internationals were having a hard time under the given circumstances.

  “Even the first time I came in here I could really see the care they have for their students.”

  At Orientation staff laid out the truth about what had been an extraordinary year for all the wrong reasons, he says. They acknowledged that everyone was facing challenges and said we should be there for each other. Students were invited to tell their stories to see how staff could better help them.

  “That was just wonderful. I’ve never had that frank openness,” says Christiaan.

  He’d now got to know a lot of staff across campus.

  “Everyone I’ve met has a passion and drive to be here. It’s not just a job.”

  He says he admires people who are passionate about what they do.

  “I’ve really come to like everyone here. Everyone’s very friendly and open and approachable.”

  You can have access to anyone you want to talk to right up to management, he says.

  “I really treasure when you have this very friendly culture.”

  Christiaan has thrived here at Otago Polytechnic. Soon after enrolling he joined the Student Ambassadors, a group that assists with various events on campus and helps new students settle in.

  “It’s a great place to meet people and socialise. If you’re new here and you don’t know many people, the student ambassadors is a good place to make friends.”

  “There’s a lot more to Otago Polytechnic than just going to class.”

  Christiaan’s now the Student Representative here listening to and learning from students and staff and finding solutions to problems students face.

  He’s also recently started a Public Speaking Club on campus. He finds public speaking a lot of fun but knows not everyone does. He likes helping people improve their speaking skills. His lecturing background helps with that.

  Christiaan taught philosophy to classes as big as 400 students back home – having been thrown in the deep end when the original lecturer had to fly home due to visa issues and he offered to take over.

  Christiaan says he doesn’t like monotony and enjoys a challenge. Other professional experiences have included managing the front end and factory of a wedding boutique as well as managing research teams at a business consultancy firm.

  A desire to enter the project management industry drove him to enrol in Applied Management at OPAIC.

  He’s not sure what the future holds for him but looks forward to exploring opportunities here in New Zealand.

  “Why not make the most of where this journey takes me? I’m going to give it my best shot to see if I can get work here. If that leads to something greater and being able to stay long term, that would be fantastic. If it so happens that things don’t work out, then I still have a lot to look forward to going back home.”

• Biggest Orientation of Covid times (April 1 2021)

  This week we are welcoming our largest intake of new students since borders closed last year.

  Our new intake includes students throughout the world who will study our new online offerings as well as international students who have been in New Zealand for some time who will study on campus.

  The online students are in countries including China, the Philippines, Iran, USA, India, Russia, and South Korea.

  The overseas students were welcomed at an online Orientation event yesterday. Today we welcomed our onshore students at an Orientation on campus.

  Chief Executive Sam Alavi addressed the group telling them staff would work hard to make sure they got a good education here while also enjoying their time.

  Today’s schedule included introductions to staff teams, a campus tour, an employability introduction, and an academic orientation as well as time to socialise over lunch and morning and afternoon tea.

• Master’s research projects shared (March 26 2021)

  Our Master of Applied Management students showcased an interesting range of research projects to peers and staff at our most recent round of Professional Project presentations.

  Six students spoke about their projects. Topics covered included essential skills for female entrepreneurs in New Zealand, the impact of Covid-19 on community centres in Auckland, and marketing strategies in the hair salon industry.

  We also heard about how digital platforms contribute to student engagement, an online course redesign to increase student engagement, and managing design change in the construction sector.

  The Professional Project presentations give students a chance to share their projects with students and staff and gain feedback.

• Putting IT theory into practice with autonomous car (March 25 2021)

  A Graduate Diploma in Information Technology student is looking forward to putting his model self-driving car to the test.

  Zengshuai (Frank) Li designed and built the autonomous car as part of his Next Generation Hardware course.

  In doing so he made use of a raspberry pi computer, a small camera, and a converted Play Station controller.

  Next, he will ‘train’ the car on a practice course, using the controller to determine speed and direction.

  The camera will capture still images and upload parameters to the cloud. These parameters are in turn used to train the model. It’s a similar concept to that used by the car companies manufacturing self-driving vehicles.

  Once it is trained, the car can be driven on trained maps and routes via Artificial Intelligence.

• Exhibition also research project for fashion guru (March 24 2021)

   

  “A fashionista’s dream.”

  That’s how iD Emerging Design Awards founder and Otago Polytechnic academic leader of Fashion Design Dr Margo Barton describes “Fashion FWD >> Disruption through Design”.

  The exhibition and celebration of innovative fashion, accessory and textile designs opens at Otago Museum on Saturday 27 March.

  Gathered from iD Emerging Designer finalists from the last 16 years and featuring pieces from around the world, the pieces are grouped in seven themes: Escapism; Sculptural; Illusion; Gender; Transformation; Wellbeing; and Reinterpretation. All are displayed along with selected items from Otago Museum’s collection, which spans centuries.

  The exhibition, which is the keystone within a programme of pop-up fashion events, workshops and talks, is also Dr Barton’s latest curatorial research project, which expands the definition of what “fashion” is, and highlights fashion designing as an area of creativity that we can all relate to.

  “After all, we all wear clothes.”

  Dr Barton and fellow curators Dr Jane Malthus and Moira White planned to have the 2020 Contemporary Fashion Practices Symposium sit alongside the exhibition. Due to Covid-19, the symposium was taken online (https://www.contemporaryfashionpractices.com).

  “The exhibition and accompanying 220-page catalogue, along with the talks and other events, are all a part of my research practice,“ explains Dr Barton, Head of Fashion at Otago Polytechnic.

  “Specifically, this research is my curatorial practice. I’ve been working on the research project since pitching it to the Otago Museum team in 2018, and love collaborating with my fellow curators Dr Jane Malthus and Moira White, and with the entire Otago Museum team.

  “I thought the 2019 anniversaries of 20^th and 15^th for iD Dunedin and the iD International Emerging Designer Awards, respectively, would be a good opportunity to reflect on the long history of iD Fashion Week.

  “However, we couldn’t get a big exhibition ready for 2019, and instead had a pop-up exhibition at the museum annex – at the Dunedin Airport, almost a test ground for the concept.

  “Then our date for opening was originally set as May 4^th (be with you) 2020 but, of course, COVID 19 got in the way, so we decided to pause.

  “Actually, the extra time has been a real bonus. It has been incredible to work with the Otago Museum team – it’s a research experience I would love to repeat!” Dr Barton says.

  “The exhibitions I curated previously were less complex than this one in terms of contacting the international designers and accessing the objects to exhibit.

  “The beauty of working with a large team at Otago Museum has been an experience I would love to repeat, especially in terms of the logistics. This includes working with Otago Museum to track and contact previous Emerging Designer Award winners, then organise delivery of their pieces. Craig Scott and I have become excellent digital sleuths!”

  Alongside the Fashion FWD exhibition is a sumptuous 220-page catalogue featuring beautiful photography, profiles of the 24 emerging designers discussing how their work expresses one of the themes of the exhibition, plus interviews with the “Godmothers” of Dunedin Fashion – Margarita Robertson (NOM*d), Tanya Carlson (Carlson), Donna Tulloch (Mild Red), Sara Munro (Company of Strangers), Charmaine Reveley – as well as essays about the museum objects by co-curators Moira White, Dr Jane Malthus and about the emerging designers by Dr Barton.

  Dr Barton says fashion is typically researched from three, interlinked, perspectives: research-led design practice; the phenomenology of the wearer; and the emerging fashion designer.

  “My research questions fashion as both object and system of knowledge,” she explains.

  “My practice has enabled those outside the traditional fashion system to be empowered – in particular, the fashion wearer and the emerging and independent designer.”

   

   

• Domestic enrolments strong (March 17 2021)

  Otago Polytechnic is experiencing strong domestic enrolments – resulting in the institution posting a more than $1 million surplus. 

  Otago Polytechnic Chief Executive Dr Megan Gibbons says the increase in domestic students — up more than 20% on last year — is “fantastic”. 

  There has been a 20.6% increase in domestic enrolments, an increase of 760 domestic equivalent full-time students (EFTS). 

  Despite a drop of 40.3% in international enrolments (193 EFTS), Otago Polytechnic has experienced an overall 13.6% increase in enrolments for 2021 compared with the same time last year. 

  “The strong rise is across a broad range of programmes and qualification levels. Most programme areas have full cohorts for Semester 1,” Dr Gibbons says. 

  “The demand ranges across all of our areas, including various Construction programmes to Health and Wellbeing, Applied Management, Design and Creative, and many other areas. 

  “Obviously, our international student numbers are down, given the implications of Covid-19. But the rise in domestic enrolments has certainly helped mitigate the reduced international market.”  

  Read the Otago Daily Times article 

• Research day a success (March 12 2021)

  We held our second Student Research Forum and Sustainability Industry Open Day on campus yesterday.

  It attracted twice as many participants as the first event held last year. We had 22 individual student research presentations, one alumni group presentation, seven individual poster presentations and 12 group poster presentations. 

  The event also included lunch, an industry sponsor and speaker from Peacock Brothers NZ, awards, certificates, and prizes.

  Alex, who is the Production Manager at Peacock Bros NZ, gave a short talk about sustainability then presented awards sponsored by the company to our top students. 

  The winners were:

  Christine Melanie Santiago / Best Individual Industry Research Presentation

  Zengshuai Li / Best Technology Research Presentation

  Maimiti Manate / Best Individual Sustainability Presentation

  Udesh Muthuranga Hettige / Best Individual Poster Presentation

  Shehan Polwatta Gallage & Qi Wang / Best Group Poster Presentation

  We also incorporated a student organised photography competition into the event. There were more than 85 student entries across three categories - Nature in the City OPAIC Student Life and Inspiring Moments.

  Sweta Vasani won the Nature in the City category for an image of a city park footpath at dusk. Yutong Mu won the OPAIC Student Life category for a silhouette of five students on a hilltop at sunset. Victoria Mishina won the Inspiring Moments section for a picture of footprints in the sand at a surf beach.

  Commendations went to Peng Yang, Udesh Hettige, Xiaoqui Sun, Hetaswi Mukesh Patel, Zicheng Yang, and Chanpreet Singh.

  Peacock Bros NZ printed sticky label sets of winning photos for each of the prize winners.

  Thank you to everyone involved for making the day a success.

• Experiential learning (March 12 2021)

  An appreciation for how different strategies contribute to learning is starting to increase autonomous learning beyond the classroom.

  Students transitioning to tertiary study in New Zealand are often coming to terms with a new educational system which values independence of thought and personal responsibility for learning. For those who start with English for Academic Purposes courses, this is an opportunity for them also to learn these capabilities also to prepare them for further tertiary study.

  Vera Nistor, a Senior Lecturer with the English department at our Auckland International Campus, has developed an experiential learning model for her students, for her own Master's study. Experiential learning is based on the concept of 'learning by doing', which incorporates reflection by students and facilitation by the teacher. The goal is to enable autonomous learning by students, with a model that they could personalise to best suit their learning needs in any given circumstances.

  In the first phase of her research Vera conducted focus groups with former students. Students did not understand how different types of class tasks were using different learning strategies, so were unable to apply those strategies in subsequent courses.

  Next Vera introduced current students more explicitly to the learning strategies they were using. In an anonymous survey afterwards the students showed they recalled and understood the strategies but were had not connected these into a learning model.

  Thirdly Vera worked with a new cohort of students to develop a learning model as a class activity, eliciting from them the contribution which the different learning strategies they had been using would make to that model.

  Vera's students later gave examples of how they used this model autonomously outside their English classes, such as at work, in their pastimes, and in subsequent study, demonstrating the universality of the learning process.

  • Contact Vera Nistor
  • Read the full article
  • Find more Auckland International Campus research
  • Browse more Education & Employability research
• Industry insights for IT students (March 10 2021)

  We were fortunate to have an industry expert on campus yesterday speaking to our Bachelor of Information Technology and Graduate Diploma in Information Technology students for a special OPAIC Talks event.

  Our guest, Aditya Patil, has an impressive IT background. He gained a diploma in software development at age seven, and holds two Guinness World Records.

  At age 18, Aditya worked with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) under the mentorship of Indian aerospace scientist and president Abdul Kalam.

  He now works as Practice Director – Cloud Adoption at consulting and services company Duco.

  Aditya took students through the keys to success in IT, which include communication, collaboration and confidence. He also talked about career pathways in the industry and answered questions from students and staff.

  

• Welcoming our new Student Representative (February 19 2021)

  We’d like to introduce our new Student Representative, Chris William.

  Chris is from South Africa and is completing his Graduate Diploma in Applied Management at OPAIC.

  He has been actively involved in student and campus life since October 2020. Chris helped with events as a Student Ambassador and is assisting us in starting a new public speaking initiative on campus.

  His strong skillset and personality traits have helped him achieve academically and lead an active student life.

  Chris has excellent time management, communication, and creative problem-solving skills. These traits led to good academic results in his previous studies which allowed him to graduate cum laude. He hopes to do the same at OPAIC.

  Good communication skills have helped him connect with students and academic staff, and his friendliness and openness have helped him make friends from different cultures.

  Chris says being a Student Representative is a wonderful opportunity for him not only to showcase his leadership skills, but also to learn as much as he can from the experience.

  As student representative he will focus on finding and implementing best-fit tailored solutions to problems students face. He’ll listen to and learn from the students and staff, and always remain considerate of the opinions of others as a member of the OPAIC team.

  If our students have any questions or would like to talk to Chris about anything from academics, to personal issues, to social events, they are welcome to come and see him on Level 1 on Mondays between 9.30am and 2.30pm, Wednesdays between 10am and 12pm, or Thursdays between 12.30pm and 3.30pm or email aicstudentrep@op.ac.nz.

  Chris will share the role with our current Student Representative, Polina Artiushkina, who will work Tuesdays from 9am until 12.30pm and Fridays from 10.30am until 12.30pm this Study Block.

• Construction work on track (February 19 2021)

  Construction work has begun on Otago Polytechnic Ltd’s multi-million-dollar Trade Training Centre in Dunedin.

  At the heart of Otago Polytechnic’s Forth St Campus, the site for the $31.7 million Trade Training Centre project is currently being cleared by an assortment of earthmoving machinery.

  “Construction activity began on January 18,” Tracey Howell, Director Campus Environment, says.

  “We are four weeks into the project. Everything is going well and on track.”

  Current and immediate upcoming work includes demolishing some walkways, under which services such as fibre, heating, and power are located.

  “These require re-routing to ensure we avoid any disruption to our IT services across the Dunedin Campus as well as our off-site campuses,” Tracey explains.

  “We fully understand that a construction site within an operating campus creates challenges for our learners and staff and appreciate their understanding and support for what will be an outstanding asset to our campus.

  “We also need to excavate an embankment. Actually, we are planning to excavate and remove around 4,500 cubic metres of soil from the site in total.”

  Tracey says sustainability is inherent to the project, too.

  “There has been strong sustainability lens from the beginning and this will continue during construction.  We are following the Living Building Challenge (LBC) principles.

  “One example is we are avoiding using ‘red-list’ materials. This is material that is harmful to the planet and people. 

  “As with Te Pā Tauira - Otago Polytechnic Student Village, we will being using Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL) and Cross Laminated Timber (CLT). 

  “Naylor Love will be reporting on waste during the construction phase and are setting up a recycling station – including food waste – on site for contractors.“

  The Otago Polytechnic project will employ around 200 tradespeople as well as construction managers and consultants until its completion in mid-2022.

  It was submitted by Otago Polytechnic in 2020 in response to the Government’s call to develop “shovel-ready” projects, aimed at stimulating and supporting economic activity in the city and region.

  “The project is significant to both the local and national construction industry as major contractors seek to recover from the economic impacts of the COVID lockdown,” Dr Megan Gibbons, Chief Executive Otago Polytechnic, says.

• Student Industry Projects showcased (February 19 2021)

  Our Applied Management students had the opportunity to showcase their Industry Projects and celebrate their success recently.

  OPAIC’s Applied Management Department hosted an Industry Project Day for cohort 36 students on campus last week. 

  The Industry Project is the capstone course of our Applied Management qualifications. We designed the course to help our students develop their capabilities and enhance their employability.

  Students complete these projects at workplaces, allowing them to explore the value their capabilities may bring to the industry.

  Head of Management, Russell Harry, said the industry project differentiates OPAIC from other institutions. Students get to try out their learning and develop their capabilities, which sets them in good stead for their careers.

  All of our cohort 36 students have now completed their work placements and projects.

  Last week’s event was their opportunity to report on their projects, showcase their employability growth, and share experiences and celebrate success.

  Russell opened the session and said students could learn a lot from what others had done as well as from their own experience.

  Anastasia from our Employability Team then spoke about our Work Ready Essentials programme, Next and Placement Specialist Kenny Kumar shared impressive feedback about our students from two of our industry partners, Heinz Company and Holcim NZ.

  Three more employers video recorded their feedback and evaluation of our students and this was shared during the day. Seven students presented their projects to the audience, and ten students hosted poster presentations.

  Russell was pleased with how the day went.

  “I thought it worked great with the stand-up presentations and the poster presentations. There was some good feedback given to students and this will help with their reports in two weeks' time,” he said.

  “I enjoyed the student interaction at the posters and there was some good work on display. Having both work supervisors (on video) and students reflect on the internship was good for everyone to see and very positive for OPAIC.”

  Industry Project Day highlighted students' work-integrated learning achievements.

  The OPAIC Applied Management Team and Employability Team are passionately working together to support our international students to transition between study and the job market.

• Celebrating the Lunar New Year (February 12 2021)

  We celebrated the Lunar New Year and the arrival of the Year of the Ox on campus today.

  The Lunar New Year is celebrated throughout Asia and around the world. It is a time to honour ancestors and look forward to the year ahead.

  Students and staff dressed in red, white and gold for the occasion and enjoyed Chinese snacks, decorations, and music.

  Some gave calligraphy a go and others took the opportunity to find out their Chinese zodiac animal and see what the year has in store for them according to their horoscope.

• Te Pā Tauira residents get the best food in the country! (February 5 2021)

  It's official - our student village Te Pā Tauira serves the best meals in the Campus Living Villages (CLV) network! 

  Across the ten CLV sites, we came out on top for the variety of food provided, meal sizes, and the cleanliness of the dining hall - and were a close second when it came to the friendliness of the kitchen team and learners' dietary requirements being met. 

  Mark Lane, Team Leader Functions and Catering, says it's no surprise that the food at Te Pā Tauira was rated so highly. 

  "We have a great team who are dedicated to providing creative and healthy menu options for our residents."

  Te Pā Tauira is at full capacity this year, with 180 learners on the waiting list. Our Student Success team is working with the waitlisted learners to ensure that they have accommodation options. 

  The village, which was opened in 2018, is as renowned for its caring culture and sustainable build as it is for its food options. 

  • Find out more about Te Pā Tauira
  • Find out more about Campus Living Villages
  • Read about the story behind the Te Pā Tauira design
• Success Story: Olga Rashchepkova (February 2 2021)

  Olga Rashchepkova gave up a great, well-paid job as a commercial lawyer in Russia to come to New Zealand and start a new life.

  Having completed her master’s degree at Otago Polytechnic Auckland International Campus, she’s now a Portfolio Coordinator at the New Zealand Transport Agency and enjoying life in Auckland.

  Olga’s first visit to New Zealand was in 2014 when she came to see a childhood friend who had already made the move here.

  “I just fell in love with the country.”

  However, relocating to New Zealand herself didn’t seem like an “achievable dream” for Olga, because she didn’t speak much English and didn’t know what she would do for work here.

  She couldn’t stop thinking about the country, even a few months after she returned to Russia.

  “I thought okay, I’m going to change my life, I’m going to try.”

  Next, Olga quit her job, shocking her boss, and began studying English.

  In February 2015 she moved to New Zealand where she continued studying English and worked in hospitality.

  Olga said it was hard to find a job in a management position as an immigrant without local experience. She knew she needed a qualification from a respectable local institution to put on her CV.

  She decided on a Master of Applied Management from OPAIC, which she began in April of 2017.

  Olga says she liked the multinational approach of the polytechnic.

  “It was a very healthy mix of different nationalities.”

  The focus on group work in class helped prepare her for work, where you have to build and manage relationships with different colleagues.

  During her degree, she discovered that project management was the area she wanted to pursue.

  Olga says her project management tutor Lorraine Skelton was an inspiration and “opened a new universe” for her.

  Olga got a good overview of the opportunities available in the project management space and realised it can be applied to any area from events management to construction to information technology.

  She is now a Portfolio Coordinator at the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) delivering non-infrastructure projects. That includes IT projects, for example changing the software for driver licence computerised theory testing.

  Olga loves life in Auckland, especially the friendly people and Kiwi values.

  “We’re surrounded by water, you can go thirty minutes and use the beach, or you can go for a walk in your lunch time and see beautiful one million-dollar views.”

• Welcoming our first cohort of the new year (January 22 2021)

  We’re welcoming our first new cohort of students for 2021 to the campus this week.

  They are predominantly international students who have been living in New Zealand for some time. Our new arrivals also include some domestic Construction students.

  Today they are undertaking a day of Orientation activities including an introduction to our staff and services, a campus tour, an IT induction, an Employability introduction and an academic orientation.

  The day began with a Maori welcome given by ICT & Facilities Manager Sonny Teio on behalf of the people of the land. He said he hoped the students would have a lifechanging experience here, just as he had during his time studying with Otago Polytechnic.

  Group Chief Executive Sam Alavi also welcomed students, telling them OPAIC was about to become a second home to them and staff would work hard to ensure they had a pleasant journey here.

• The Wildlife Hospital turns three years old! (January 21 2021)

  15th of January marked three years since the Dunedin wildlife hospital was founded!
  
  

  You may not know, but The Wildlife Hospital is based at Otago Polytechnic and is home to some of the world's most unique and most threatened species.

  We are very proud to say Otago Polytechnic, and the School of Veterinary Nursing have been a partner and supporter since day one.

  This partnership has enabled our learners to graduate with a unique edge - and to be part of the movement to save our endangered wildlife!

  Since 2018, our Dunedin on-campus students have been able to gain hands-on experience with sick and injured wildlife at The Wildlife Hospital.

   

  Check out more on The Wildlife Hospital Dunedin here (and see some very cute native NZ wildlife)

   

  Wishing you a very happy birthday,

  Love Otago Polytechnic

• Dunedin, what a place to study! (January 19 2021)

  Our Dunedin campus is at the heart of everything we do, and we're incredibly proud to play our part in recognising Dunedin as the 'tertiary education capital of NZ'.
  
  The Dunedin startup scene is growing fast - sustainable technology, a demand for trades, and a call for creatives.
  As the world changes, so do we! We've been constantly adapting our qualifications and training programmes with the environment to ensure our graduates have the skills, experience and know how's for the careers of the future.
  With mentorships, internships and real world projects - our people really do make a better world.
  
  Find out more on how we're educating work-ready graduates of the future here.
   

• Otago Polytechnic hosts Māori Research Symposium (December 3 2020)

  Today’s Māori Research Symposium – Kaitiakitaka – showcased a wide range of research concerned with human and environmental issues.

  The purpose of the Māori Research Symposium is to promote original Māori-led or Māori-partnered research which nurtures emergent and leading Māori students, staff and scholars conducted at Otago Polytechnic and across Aotearoa/New Zealand.

  Hosted by Te Kura Matatini ki Ōtāgo/Otago Polytechnic at its Forth Street Campus in Ōtepoti/Dunedin, the Māori Research Symposium follows the successful Tā Moko Symposium 2014 and the Mauri Ora: Human Flourishing Symposium in 2018.

  Following a mihi whakatau, Otago Polytechnic Chief Executive Dr Megan Gibbons (Ngā Puhi) opened the symposium.

  “The research presented today by our wider whānau around the concept of Kaitiatitika is appropriate as Covid has taught us the importance of looking after our whānau, our hāpori and our whenua,” Dr Gibbons says. 

  “As we move towards a true partnership-based model, this research symposium is another step on the journey, and is underpinned by our Māori Strategic Framework and Te Pae Tawhiti, Te Tiriti o Waitangi Excellence Framework of Te Pūkenga.

  Keynote speaker Associate Professor Carla Houkamou (Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Kahungungu, Ngāi Tahu) delivered her address remotely to a large gathering in the Hub. This was followed by a range of presentations delivered across campus, before second keynote speaker, Dr Eruera Tarena, completed the offical discourse and the event came to an end.

• Otago Polytechnic Charity House fetches record price (November 23 2020)

  Otago Polytechnic’s Charity House auction fetched a record price on Saturday November 21.

  Around 70 people attended the 14^th Charity House auction, at which the fully furnished four-bedroom home was sold for $325,000, eclipsing the previous record (set in 2018) of $271,000.

  Each year, Otago Polytechnic carpentry students have built a four-bedroom home with guidance from lecturers and the generous support of many local businesses. 

  “The auction attracted a lot of interest and excitement,” Dr Megan Gibbons, Otago Polytechnic Chief Executive, says.

  “As well as raising funds for charity, the project is an excellent example of the applied learning approach that Otago Polytechnic provides for our learners. Again, it shows our people make a better world.”

  At the conclusion of the bidding process at Otago Polytechnic’s L Block, Dr Gibbons presented United Way New Zealand with a cheque for $100,000.

  Over the past 13 years United Way NZ has distributed $1.4 million to Otago community charities – thanks to funds raised from Charity House, a project made possible through the generosity of the many sponsors who donate time and materials.

  Teresa Moore, United Way NZ Chief Executive, says Otago charities need support this year more than ever before.

  “Research conducted by UWNZ has shown 98% of New Zealand charities have been affected by Covid-19, balancing a sharp increase in demand with a drop in funding.

  “UWNZ distributes funding from Charity House to small to medium community-based charities. They do not have large marketing or fundraising resources inhouse, so any contributions make a significant impact to their ability to help Otago communities in need.

  “Strong, resilient communities rely on those who can, supporting those who are struggling. This is particularly the case in times of pressure and increased need such as this.

  “UWNZ would like to thank Otago Polytechnic staff and carpentry students as well as the local businesses who contributed so generously to the fit-out of the houses.”

  In addition, two other unfurnished houses were sold for $261,000 and $275,000.

  See the Otago Daily Times article and video

• Engineering learners showcase problem-solving skills (November 12 2020)

  From a shiny plane, to an electric motorbike, to a log splitter, Otago Polytechnic’s end-of year Engineering Showcase celebrated a range of innovative solutions to real-world challenges.

  The Showcase highlighted the problem-solving skills of our Bachelor of Engineering Technology and New Zealand Diploma in Engineering students.

  It covered a broad range of Engineering programmes, from Civil, Electrical and Mechanical.

  The projects included a Vans RV12 aeroplane. Registered as ZK OPT (ZK for New Zealand and OPT for Otago Polytechnic), the kitset plane cost $70,000, which was paid for by Otago Polytechnic’s capital expenditure budget.

  The project was the brainchild of the late Stuart Allan, Principal Engineering Lecturer, who had a vision to provide a challenging and engaging means by which students could learn high-level Engineering skills.

  Read the Otago Daily Times article

  Read more about our Engineering programmes

   

   

• Otago Polytechnic Polykids staff earn Resilience “tick” (November 6 2020)

  Despite being disrupted by Covid-19, staff at Otago Polytechnic childcare centre Polykids have been awarded the “Workplace Resilience Tick”.

  Developed over seven years of research at the University of Otago by a team of expert researchers, the tick programme offers a fresh approach to helping staff with workplace challenges.

  Dr Althea Gamble Blakey, founder of Workplace Resilience Development (WoRD), delivers the programme in all kinds of workplaces. With her personal service, she loves helping staff hone skills to get through challenging times.

  “Most people are ace at this stuff. It’s just that getting a chance to discuss what to do and practice it out loud. It really boosts people’s confidence. Then you have staff really focusing on helping themselves, and each other, and to get what they need at work.’

  Every workplace has its and ups and downs, particularly during times such as Covid. Any additional stressor puts pressure on staff who can also have lots of other things going on.

  “Say, if two staff members are in a discussion which is getting a bit heated. As part of the tick program we talk through practical ways to phrase things to remove the conflict, and work towards achieving what the discussion was really about.”

  Polykids Centre Manager Myone Raynbird says staff found the programme invigorating, interesting, respectful and full of practical tips for immediate use in the workplace.

  “It’s supported everyone to re-frame thinking and wording, make them more accountable for actions and for pursuing positive outcomes in our very fast- paced environment.”

  According to Dr Gamble Blakey, respect and caring are foundational to the programme, and also form the basis for ongoing mentoring for staff who want to discuss specifics. Dr Gamble Blakey also works alongside managers after the programme to implement specific processes that they may have been considering.

  “It’s very different to putting up posters about values or lecturing people about acceptable behaviour – or even heading to HR when something goes wrong.  Posters and lectures can be futile because they feel offensive, or like being told off, and HR is usually ‘an ambulance at the bottom of the cliff’ situation. Doing this to staff in difficult times could really be seen as setting them up to fail.

  “We’ve forgotten to focus on the amazing resource that staff are in themselves. These guys were just spectacular, and we had the best time sharing tips, tricks and plenty of jokes. I’m proud to know them all.”

  If you would like to confidentially contact Dr Gamble Blakey, please do on DrAlfie@word.net.nz

• Positive outcome for Otago Polytechnic Electric Vehicle students (October 13 2020)

  Charged with new knowledge, a group of students have become the first cohort to graduate from Otago Polytechnic’s pioneering Electric Vehicles programme.

  For the past 12 months 15 students have been enrolled in Otago Polytechnic’s New Zealand Certificate in Electric Vehicle Automotive Engineering, a Level-5 programme that empowers students with the skills and knowledge to diagnose and repair faults in battery electric and hybrid electric vehicles and machines.

  The one-year, part-time programme (delivered on-campus and online with a range of block courses) has four intakes a year, with more than 20 students enrolling in each intake.

  With the pressure on natural resources around the globe, humans are seeking alternative and more sustainable energy solutions. Electric vehicles will play a big part in this future and those working in the automotive industry will increasingly need skills and confidence working in this space.

  “Given the increasing demand and use of electric vehicles, Otago Polytechnic is looking to work with other ITPs to grow the New Zealand Certificate in Electric Vehicles up and down the country,” says Richard Nyhof, Head of Otago Polytechnic’s College of Engineering, Construction and Living Sciences.

  Otago Polytechnic automotive engineering senior lecturer Kevin O’Neill is proud of the students’ achievements.

  "They’ve been studying for about a year to now be allowed to work in and around electric vehicles.

  "A lot of these students are already working in the industry. Every year there are more and more of these vehicles coming out.”

  According to a recent University of Otago study, Dunedin has one of the highest rates of electric vehicle ownership in New Zealand.

  Dunedin has about 6.1 vehicles per 1000 people, compared with an Otago regional average of 4.7 and a national average of 3.8 vehicles per 1000 people.

  There are 931 electric cars registered in Dunedin, part of the 21,829 registered nationally, Ministry of Transport statistics to August show.

  To meet the demand related to this uptake, Otago Polytechnic has developed a broad suite of EV-related programmes, including a range of short courses and microcredentials.

  Read more about our NZ Certificate in Electric Vehicle Automotive Engineering (Level 5)

• Creativity pays off for Otago Polytechnic photography student (September 21 2020)

  Otago Polytechnic photography student Oscar Hetherington has won the Grand Prize at the Sony Imaging 2020 Alpha Awards.

  Oscar, whose $10,000 prize comprises $8000 worth of Sony camera equipment of his choice and $2000 cash, says the award means “so much” to him.

  “It really emphasises the fact that taking creative risks can pay off.

  “It has been great to have some of my personal work showcased at such a level and I'm extremely grateful to have been acknowledged amongst such a high calibre of photographers.”

  Oscar’s winning entry, titled Back Wash, is a 2020 seascape inspired by his love of the ocean.

  “Ocean photography appeals to me the most. From surfing to underwater, lifestyle and wave photography, I love it because every image is different. The ocean is basically a landscape that's always changing.”

  Oscar, who is studying a New Zealand Diploma in Photography (level 6) at Otago Polytechnic, began his photographic journey when he picked up an old family camera when he was about eight years old.

  “For the first four years it was just for fun – taking photos of my mates going on adventures, camping, surfing, skiing etc and showing people the cool places we would go.

  “Then, when I was about 16, someone asked me to take photos of a bike race. Ever since I've been taking photography seriously. Now I live and breath it.”

  Oscar, who started studying at Otago Polytechnic at the start of this year and will finish in November this year, says he has been inspired by classmates and teaching experts alike.

  “This course has taught me that hard work pays off and to focus on what you want to do specifically. It has also cemented my love for taking photos and being creative.

  “Getting constructive criticism has helped refine my skills and working with classmates has forced me to be more creative. Many of my classmates are very talented photographers in their individual fields.

  “I have received a lot of support from the students, teachers and guests. Feedback is a key to being a successful creative, so it's really helped to push my ideas and images that little bit further.”

  Oscar is currently working on a surf and ocean-related photography book, which he hopes to publish this summer.

  “I also plan to continue to grow my clients and my company and hope to work with some bigger creative partners and more influential brands in the future.

  Given his love of the sea, his advice to anyone considering studying photography at Otago Polytechnic is fitting:

  “Dive-in, head-first. Give it your all and don't be afraid to ask questions. Work hard and enjoy the opportunities you are given.”

  Read more about our creative programmes