Good to see the Massey Rena team being thanked and I wonder how many people were inspired to be vets or other roles due to their work.

Policy, Management & People

1. Odd Loan Protest AUSA is showing how desperate students are for cash by paying them to “undertake extreme challenges such as mass lube wrestling, eating pigs eyes and lambs brains, setting themselves on fire and public nudity”. Good idea and Arena Williams has an eye for stunts – although I reckon the students could make more elsewhere for nude mass lube wrestling…Meanwhile, NZUSA’s Tertiary Women’s Focus Group is against interest on loans and Steven Joyce and Grant Robertson repeated their lines.
2. Auckland Delegation The Mayoral trade mission to China by Auckland businesses was apparently successful – AUT, MIT and Unitec are mentioned.
3. Youth Unemployment ManpowerGroup has some ideas to deal with youth unemployment, including career guidance, better image for vocational education and building on work experience.
4. Extras: Waikato’s Dr Ken Johnson tells us about his daughter Kimbra; ACT’s John Banks says workforce planning is a waste of time after teacher surplus; WITT council changes.

Research & Innovation

1. War Story Massey’s Prof Glyn Harper has written a children’s story based on WW1.
2. Durie Medal The Royal Society of NZ has named a new social science medal after Massey’s Prof Sir Mason Durie – see RSNZ details.
3. Sea Lettuce A German PhD student from Waikato is researching sea lettuce in Tauranga Harbour.

Public Issues

1. Tobacco Otago Uni’s Prof Janet Hoek on plain packaging marketing issues and Des O’Dea on black market issues if tax zooms up. Auckland’s Prof Jane Kelsey on trade issues.
2. Rena Thanks Massey staff who helped with the Rena response were thanked last night (Manawatu Standard).
3. Euthanasia Otago Uni is organising a forum on euthanasia (NZN).
4. Extras: AUT’s Prof Rawiri Taonui on racism in rugby; Massey’s Prof Anne Noble on a journalist detained in Zimbabwe; Massey’s David Tripe on bank term deposits; Waikato’s Prof Douglas Pratt giving inaugural lecture on religious diversity; Otago Uni’s Robert Patman on possible Afghan refugees.

Students

1. Rotorua Idol…winner gets Waiariki scholarship.
2. Extras: Victoria studet says she was kicked out of a bar for kissing her girlfriend, but the bar says otherwise; Auckland student newspaper dramas; Waiariki grad off to teach English in China.

Stakeholders

1. Uni Shorts The Unitec-hosted Uni Shorts film festival has announced the winners.
2. Kingitanga Waikato is getting ready for Kingitanga Day.
3. Neurology $$ $2.2m has now been raised for a neurology chair at Otago Uni.
4. Extras: WelTec sparkies in ECANZ competition; exhibition at SIT; Waikato involvement in school science and innovation resources; health software company supported by Massey has a big Thai sale; Lincoln supporting Ashburton agri-park; WelTec working with a glass crusher.

Teaching & Learning

1. Gordon Ramsay Course Northland’s Culinary Institute of NZ is launching a new course developed by a UK school part owned by Gordon Ramsay.
2. New LMS Learning State launched a new learning management platform last week, developed with Open Polytechnic.
3. Extras: BOPP surveying diploma.