Policy, Management & People

1. Online Learning Otago Poly’s  chief exec Phil Ker and Prof Kerry Shephard say a boom in students securing their education online will have implications for Dunedin’s tertiary institutions.
2. Emergency Vet An all-hours specialist emergency care centre will be created at Massey’s Veterinary Hospital as part of a $75 million redevelopment.
3. Human Rights Fellow Rosslyn Noonan has been appointed the first Visiting Fellow to Auckland’s NZ Centre for Human Rights.
4. Extras: Canterbury in international agreement with Navitas (Radio NZ).

Research & Innovation

1. Healing Salve A unique wound-healing ointment designed by Auckland’s Colin Greene and David Becker in 2006 is set for commercial success.
2. Software Glitches Victoria’s David Pearce has developed a programming language that checks computer software decisions (Fairfax).
3. Penguin DNA Auckland’s Craig Millar is using DNA to measure evolutionary change in Adelie penguins.

Public Issues

1. Education Overhaul Former Otago Uni associate prof David McKenzie on whether the education system needs an overhaul.
2. Australian Heat Auckland’s Chris de Freitas on the effects of extreme heat.
3. Industry Support MIT’s Larry Wiechern has criticised the lack of support in the engineering industry for upskilling the next generation of specialists.
4. NY Resolutions Victoria’s Marc Wilson on setting reasonable and achievable goals in the new year.
5. Mount Taranaki Massey’s Vince Neall on massive erosion of the west side of Mt Taranaki.
6. Extras: Auckland consulted about jellyfish.

Students

1. Human Trafficking An Otago Uni student has set up a website highlighting the problems of human trafficking in NZ.

Stakeholders

1. Science Experience 230 secondary pupils will visit Otago Uni for the annual Hands-on-Science school this weekend.
2. Local Government Academics from Waikato, Victoria, and AUT will be involved in the Rethinking Local Government conference in early February.