The biggest tertiary education story of the weekend was Prof Sir Paul Callaghan’s death, followed by a group of students drinking in Dunedin.

Policy, Management & People

1. Paul Callaghan Prof Sir Paul Callaghan of Victoria has died. There has been recognition from, Victoria, RSNZ, the Government, Labour, Greens, MacDiarmid Institute (plus the Board and International Advisory Board), and Massey. There have been obituaries and reports in the Dom Post, Fairfax, SMC, RNZ, RNZ, Big Cake, TV3, TVNZ, APNZ, BusinessDesk and NZ Herald. Fairfax has an interview from the last week or so. I won’t say rest in peace, because I figure he’d want us all to think about and action his ideas, which will live on. I’ll certainly be rereading From Wool to Weta this week and seeing what that sparks in me.
2. AWI Report The NZ Herald’s Andrew Laxon has a great piece about NZQA’s latest report on AWI International Education Group.
3. Computer Power Looks like Computer Power will be bought next week and students might be able to complete their courses. I hope it works out.
4. Student Central Steven Joyce opened Massey Albany’s new Student Central facility.
5. Academic Salaries Canterbury’s Eric Crampton put up some international academic salary comparisons.
6. Margo Barton Otago Poly’s Margo Barton had a lovely profile in the ODT.
7. Post VSM The Waikato Times looks at students association after VSM at Wintec and Waikato.
8. Extras: WITT Council member and coffee; Auckland’s use of Google; Seafood ITO CE Owen Symmans shifts to Pork Industry Board (will the ITO replace him or merge?); success at WITT; TWOA union leader dies (TWOA); state CE salaries story mentions BOPP.

Research & Innovation

1. Growing Up Auckland’s Susan Morton released Growing up in NZ results, which sparked stories on childcare and breast milk and post-baby breakups.
2. Bye Bees? Canterbury’s Prof Jason Tylianakis on predicting the collapse of pollinators (he’s quite young for a Prof too – good on him).
3. Kiwifruit Otago Uni’s Prof Russel Poulter and Prof Iain Lamont are working hard to save kiwifruit from PSA.
4. Marmite Canterbury biologists have tracked down the Marmite that whitebait love, so research can continue.
5. Aging Study Otago Uni’s Prof Peter Joyce on a major study of ageing.
6. Extras: Massey’s Olaf Diegel on 3D printing; Canterbury’s Daniel Stouffer on prioritising conservation needs; Victoria’s Tim Naish on climate change and sea levels; Otago Uni’s Tamlin Conner on student drinking; Otago Uni testing baby vaccine; Canterbury doctoral student finds tsunami evidence in Kaikoura.

Public Issues

1. Health The Lancet had an editorial about Otago Uni health research about inequality and several Auckland and Otago academics responded (NZN, NewstalkZB, Manawatu Standard).
2. Chch Canterbury’s Katie Pickles had an op-ed that traverses the Cathedral and other issues.
3. Greek Explorers AUT’s Paul Moon debunks claims Greeks discovered NZ (TV3, The Northern Advocate). There are some fabulous comments at the links.
4. Give Way Rule Canterbury’s Deak Helton and Waikato’s Robert Isler on the give way rule.
5. Extras: Lincoln’s Prof Ken Hughey on a lake; Canterbury’s Bronwyn Hayward on Occupy; Auckland’s Prof Tim Hazeldine on the 80s; Auckland’s Warren Brookbanks on bail laws; Otago Uni visiting prof on healthcare; Auckland’s Robert Scragg on Pacific obesity; Canterbury’s Prof Greg Newbold on Christchurch’s new stadium; Auckland’s Tania Ogilvy White on nuclear security; Massey’s David Tripe on credit information; Waikato’s Prof Bob Evans on Mystery Creek; Auckland’s David Scott on low Lotto chances; Waikato’s Robert Isler on giving way; TEU at AUT helping port workers; Massey’s Paul Spoonley on difficulty of Asian grads getting a job; Massey’s Christine Cheyne and Andy Asquith on local government reform; Massey’s Ian Evans on drugs for kids; Canterbury’s Prof Ursula Cheer on banning Truth from prisons; Auckland’s Glenn Simmons on fishery observers; academics on David Shearer.

Students

1. Keg Party Liquor ban submissions in Dunedin are due to close this afternoon. The vote on the ban will depend on part on the latest Hyde St Keg party. OUSA and the Uni were helping to make it go well (RadioLIVE, TVNZ, RNZ). Here’s a report on people enjoying themselves. Besides some reports about the Police closing it and roofs collapsing, it seems to have gone quite well (OUSA, NZN) and all the free food and glass bans seem to have helped. ….although, you wouldn’t have wanted to be the landlord of the roof that students collapsed (see 4:50 on video or here for a non-Facebook video) and those affected now want the party banned. Here’s a roundup of media coverage.
2. Towies Towaways at Wintec graduation and near AUT.
3. Student Film…festival at Unitec.
4. Top Builder Profile of building apprentice of 2011.
5. Auction CPIT midwives auctioning off blokes.
6. Most Fabulous Woman…is the title won by a Massey and Open Poly student.
7. Extras: uni student organising an exhibition; Canterbury student’s masters research; Auckland fencer; Canterbury artist; profile of AUT art student.

Stakeholders

1. Gifted Children Massey supporting conference on gifted children, where Jill Bevan-Brown will get an award.
2. Interns A student intern scheme in Dunedin has gained student and employer support.
3. Business Awards AUT has taken over the Excellence in Business Support Awards.
4. Maniototo Otago Uni supporting a Maniototo revitalisation project (ODT).
5. Extras: Victoria’s Prof Jonathan Boston on child poverty group; Webb Ellis Cup at Lincoln; universities exhibiting at EMEX; designer at UCOL; mind map exhibition at Wintec; even Canterbury’s Jarrod Gilbert couldn’t get the Hells Angels a raffle; dairy farmers meeting at Otago Uni; wetlands symposium draws Lincoln/Waikato academics.

Teaching & Learning

1. Extras: Dragon’s Den approach at Waikato; poetry at Waikato;