1. Russian Links The Pacific International Hotel Management School is developing links with Vladivostok University.
2. Unitec Settles The TEU and Unitec have settled a collective agreement. Auckland pay talks are going slowly under mediation, but these are between the PSA and the Uni (correction: the TEU is the advocate for PSA and TEU general staff members).
3. Extras: UCOL’s Paul McElroy on students in Palmie; trades academy going well in EBOP; Tai Poutini is apparently changing their outdoor education quals to meet new regulatory requirements, but their release doesn’t explain how.

Research & Innovation

1. Family Violence Auckland is part of a new family violence research clearinghouse.
2. Extras: Australasian commercialisation people are meeting in Auckland; Otago Uni’s Prof Sunny Collins’ on mental health primary care; Waikato research on Maori men getting others to get their prescriptions.

Public Issues

1. Election Labour’s Grant Robertson to speak at AUT; Canterbury’s Therese Arseneau on MMP referendum; Victoria’s Jon Johansson discussed MMP poll results; Canterbury’s Babak Bahador and a student are tracking media coverage of the election; Auckland’s Raymond Miller on John Key; advance voting booth at Massey;
2. Lots of Work Auckland’s Prof Peter Boxall on how technology enables more work, which sounds reasonable to me as I sit in my hotel room writing this…
3. Extras: Auckland’s Cameron Grant on pneumonia risk for children; Sir Ray Avery to speak at Massey Albany (release); Canterbury’s Jim Tully on the ODT’s 150^th; Otago doctors supporting alcohol restrictions.

Students

1. Students Get YouTube Deal The founders of YouTube have bought a software package developed by two Otago Poly students. Wow. And congrats to them (3 News).
2. Student Fires Meanwhile students up the road were lighting fires rather than developing top software and the firefighters are getting grumpy.
3. AUT Student Murder Some more on the murder of an AUT student – I will not be running more stories on the trial etc, as the case is not directly linked to AUT .
4. Extras: Massey PhD student’s water use research; Unitec student play; joint UCOL exhibition; Auckland student buys iPhone from Dan Carter; nice story about a Competenz apprentice’s progress; Massey student’s rescue harness.

Stakeholders

1. Art/Business Links The Dunedin School of Art wants to build closer links with the community, while Waiariki seems to be doing good things in their business area with stakeholders.
2. Extras: Massey helping with community garden (Dom Post); candidates’ meeting at WITT; Waikato’s Peta Goldsworthy and Careerforce’s Misty Knowles get PRINZ accreditation; OfficeMax supports new Retail Institute quals.

Teaching and Learning

1. Good Workplace Palmerston North City Council has won an award for its workplace learning programme.
2. Extras BOPP’s Lea Pearce teaching tortellini.

1. Loan Scheme Loses Money TV3 did a story at the weekend disclosing how the interest-free student loan scheme would fail if it was a business, although it must be said that giving away money at no cost has never been seen as a winning business strategy. I’m happy it’s being highlighted but the treatment is a bit odd. Keith Ng at Public Address got grumpy about the story.
2. ACE Numbers The Press ran a story on the decline in ACE student numbers, seemingly just citing numbers from a representative of ACE-providing schools. The numbers are probably about right but I’d love to see what has really happened in that market and what people have done instead.
3. Otago Poly to Akld Otago Poly is setting up an Auckland campus to serve international students. They’re working with PTE Future Skills and plan to offer the first year of their business degree there.
4. TEC to Go? The TEC would be abolished if Tamaki independent candidate Stephen Berry has his way – he won’t, of course.
5. Transport Training Bay of Plenty Poly has a new transport training centre.
6. NZ Studies The 2009 closure of the UK-based Centre for NZ Studies made the news at the weekend as there was some controversy in the air. I’m not sure I care either way but it seems the accusations could either spell out corruption or a negotiated settlement, depending on how you look at it.
7. People Should Google AUT’s Alan Robie has been promoted to professor and the media release claimed that he might be the first journalism professor in NZ or the Pacific (there are heaps in Australia though).
8. King’s Education Push for an inquiry into the death of a King’s Education student in the Feb quake.
9. Extras: Otago Uni disability conference could lead to centre at Uni; WITT’s Richard Handley on youth unemployment (he’s misnamed in the report); decisions on Massey’s teacher education courses in new year; NZUSA likes the Maori Party tertiary education policy; discussion on IRL reforms (and again); Otago Uni’s advanced school science programme; Shane Telfer’s Fulbright; new Otago Uni neurosurgery lecturer.

Research & Innovation

1. Vanuatu Waikato’s Julie Barbour has a Marsden Grant to “complete the world’s first large-scale comparative study of “mood systems” in the Vanuatu languages” …
2. Climate Change Otago Uni and Victoria academics have reviewed the government’s work on climate change and found it came up short – blogger No Right Turn complains that the report is not available online.
3. Extras: Auckland’s Crown Lynn exhibition.

Public Issues

1. Election A confused Unitec student is interviewed. Victoria’s Jon Johansson on the Epsom situation. Massey’s Jane Parker on employment policies and Claire Matthews on raising the retirement age.
2. MMP Academics comment on MMP referendum: Massey’s Grant Duncan, Victoria’s Prof Nigel Roberts. Unitec’s Keith Rankin on the MMP referendum (and Massey’s Claire Robinson too)
3. Steve Williams Unbelievably, two academics were found to comment on Steve William’s behaviour.
4. Name that Sea Creature Auckland’s Mark Costello and Victoria’s Lisa Bryant try to name a sea creature washed ashore.
5. Blogging Victoria’s Danyl McLauchlan is one of NZ’s top bloggers (The Dim Post) and was profiled at the weekend. He has about 10 times my readership and is generally funnier. LawFuel also mentioned Victoria’s Dean Knight and Otago Uni’s Andrew Geddis as top law bloggers.
6. Extras: Canterbury’s Annie Potts on chickens’ history and emotions; Massey’s Claire Matthews on money personality tests and Prof Subhas Mukhopadhyay on a dodgy power saving tool; Auckland’s Rhys Jones, a public health specialist, on climate change; Victoria’s Prof John Pratt on penal systems; Auckland’s Jeff Harrison on concerns about a prescription drug; Canterbury’s Greg Newbold says prison crowding leads to assaults; AUT’s Robin Hankin on picking Lotto numbers; Prof Bruce Glavovic on the emotional toll of the Christchurch quakes; Susan Krumdieck’s UK lecture online; Canterbury’s Jeremy Finn on an IP dispute; Otago Uni’s Barrie Peake reckons that we should be testing for oil in BOP seafood; Massey’s Chris Wilkins on P’s declining popularity (Fairfax); Auckland’s Clare Wall on detox diets and Prof Tim Hazeldine on asset sales; Oamaru lecture by Victoria’s Conal McCarthy; Doug Sellman on alcohol.

Students

1. Cauliflower Winners HSI has announced its cauliflower cooking winners.
2. Intern Scheme NMIT is celebrating 14 years of an intern scheme run with a group of German universities – sounds like interesting stuff.
3. Top Otago apprentice… was Rachae Lynch of the Retail Institute.
4. Food Bank OUSA has had a big year for its food bank (ODT, RNZ).
5. Extras: Massey student who focuses more on swimming; Waikato student and netball umpire; Ohope building apprentice; Otago Poly trying to get women into the trades; Lincoln students have Red Zone ideas; BCITO expo; Otago Uni design students showing work at Arthur’s Pass; Massey Wellington design grads exhibition.

Stakeholders

1. Universe Tweets Otago Uni’s ScienceTeller Festival has an “explain the origins of the universe” tweeting competition.
2. Rena No new oiled wildlife found by Massey team (Stuff), but the Palmie Wildlife Centre will stay closed until January due to diversion of resources to Tauranga;
3. Top Farmer Lincoln’s South Island farmer of the year named.
4. Extras: top user of Otago Poly’s biodiesel consortium; Telford hosted a Clutha District Council meeting; sports academy link for TWOA; Unitec community garden; Bay of Plenty Poly students setting up Xmas decorations; student-built house fails to sell at BOPP; wine competition at Auckland.

Teaching & Learning

1. Adult Learner Awards…in Bay of Plenty.

Policy & Management

1. Aoraki Changes The ODT has a story about how Aoraki should develop a replacement media course with a bit of everything to replace its specialist media courses in Dunedin – it’s a TEU suggestion. Dunno about you, but keeping one wide-ranging course when the individual specialist courses don’t make money doesn’t seem to make sense to me. The Timaru Herald has more detail on the TEU submission.
   
2. ACE Labour’s David Shearer reflects on Bill English’s nice words about ACE (from 2005).
3. Massey Promotions/Changes Massey has promoted lots of people and highlighted a dairy chair for Danny Donaghy. They have also reported back on feedback on teaching qualification changes.
4. Xmas Completions The Retail Institute has a cool 8 weeks of Christmas competition to encourage completions.

Research & Innovation

1. Waking Up…on the operating table doesn’t sound like much fun but Waikato’s Moira Steyn-Ross reckons it happens to 1 in 1,000 of us.
2. Extras: EIT-WITT East West exhibition; nice story from an Erskine fellow/visitor at Canterbury; Lincoln’s Future Farming Centre; Otago Uni’s Chris Jackson involved in bowel cancer study.

Public Issues

1. Quake Canterbury’s Ursula Cheer has criticised the publication of a photo of two teenagers grieving their mother’s death after the Christchurch quake. A poll by Canterbury’s Kris Vavasour commenting on a poll of Canterbury residents, who are unhappy about slow quake recovery work.
2. Extras: Victoria’s Gaynor Parkin on Graham Henry’s happiness; Otago Uni’s Bryce Edwards on Occupy Dunedin.

Students

1. Student Exhibition
   Massey Albany this time, with some cool looking items, like Jason Domancie’s Safe Surfing Board below.
2. Extras: FITEC’s successful Straight to Work course in Northland; Otago Uni student/staff member couple making Tongan raw fish; Otago Uni student in Southern Steel.

Stakeholders

1. 4000 Year Donation The 4,000 relates to the age of a likely baby feeding cup donated to Auckland – Canterbury missed out because of the quake (Manawatu Standard).
2. Melbourne Cup Otago Poly’s Margo Barton was judging a Melbourne Cup-related fashion in the field event yesterday.
3. Extras: Auckland Maori economic development symposium.

Teaching & Learning

1. Community Learning Awards Tariana Turia gave out Dynamic Community Learning Awards for Adult Learners’ Week.
2. Islamic Studies…are now on offer from Auckland via a B.Theology course.

Policy & Management

1. Big ITO News The NZ Herald had two big stories at the weekend on ITOs: one on issues over the assessment of plumbing apprentices and another with more details on clawbacks from ITOs for 2009-10 and ongoing monitoring of some ITOs. I’m doing some work for the ITF right now so will refrain from comment.
2. UCOL Design Review UCOL’s Council has decided on 3 focus areas and is reviewing one of them (arts and design) across its Whanganui, Manawatu and Wairarapa areas (releases are essentially the same). The Wanganui Chronicle has covered it (and a summer school story). I have to say that this review looks like a superb idea at first glance.
3. Agricultural Deal NorthTec and Taratahi have done a deal to deliver agricultural courses in Northland – “real training on real farms”.
4. Youth Wage National proposed a new start-out wage, which included coverage for those in industry training (TV3). Canterbury’s Eric Crampton commented (NewstalkZB)
5. Extras The NZ Herald reviews the latest annual student loan scheme report; NZ First announced some tertiary-related policies; Wintec House won two regional NZIA awards (Idealog); Roger Kerr died on Friday night (Stuff) – I intend to write more about his work in education later.

Research & Innovation

1. Rugby Fairfax’s Adam Dudding reviews how rugby made us a bit smarter, covering a few academic stories of the last few weeks. AUT’s Kelly Sheerin is doing a study for the IRB on RWC injuries. You can check out the seismic impact of the RWC final crowd, thanks to Auckland’s Liam Wotherspoon.
2. Entrepreneurs Otago Poly students win NBR award. Auckland entrepreneur competition winners plus extra funding (and a related piece on Auckland/Otago Uni entrepreneurship courses).
3. New Colonial Resources Waikato’s Kathryn Parsons has announced a digitised version of colonial papers relating to NZ from 1830-70. Incidentally, my wife’s employer, NZ Micrographic Services, did the scanning and related work.
4. The Hagfish …got coverage by APNZ, TV3, One News, Stuff and NZN for Massey’s Prof Marti Anderson.
5. Extras Angie Farrow’s new play and Prof Bernhard Breier on omega-3 levels (Massey); Victoria Metcalf’s interesting work on Antarctic shellfish (Lincoln); map exhibition by Auckland’s Kathy Waghorn and Unitec’s Cris de Groot; Otago Uni’s Cameron Lacey on quake-related heart conditions.

Public Issues

1. Election Auckland’s Prof Jack Vowles on list MPs’ accountability. Otago Uni’s Bryce Edwards will speak (or has spoken) to John Minto (ODT), Holly Walker, Bill English – he also commented on Phil Goff’s unpopularity. Victoria’s Peter Thompson on RWC and politics. Auckland’s Campbell Jones on the need for a Robin Hood tax. Waikato’s Prof Natalie Jackson on super age changes (NZN). Massey’s Prof Chris Cunningham on the super age impact on Maori.
2. Maui Gas Line Unitec’s Jonathan Leaver on detecting gas leaks and doing preventive work.
3. Links: four academics on green growth; Victoria’s James Liu on forbidden love(ish) and Venezia Kingi on murder victims’ families; Otago Uni’s Prof Mark Henaghen on victims of crime; Massey’s Prof Ravi Ravindran on eggs; Auckland’s Prof Jane Kelsey on Pharmac ad Prof John Craig on nature sanctuaries (audio); Canterbury’s Greg Newbold on parole breaches, Jon Harding on Christchurch river silting and Prof Lucy Johnston on post-RWC afterglow; Waikato’s Prof Natalie Jackson on world population growth.

Students

1. End of Year Shows Massey has its big Blow creative arts festival at Albany and Wellington coming up. BOPP fashion and graphic design show.
2. Top Carpenter On Saturday the ODT was writing about the top southern building apprentice, but by Sunday he had been named national winner (NewstalkZB, Stuff).
3. Maori Otago tertiary education awards for Maori school students (ODT).
4. Sport: Waikato’s Tania Law becoming top netball umpire; Otago Uni’s Storm Purvis playing netball (My Netball). Canterbury’s Nick Ross in NZ junior rugby squad. Diesel apprentice’s karting. Otago Uni’s Campbell Makea in NZ softball team.
5. Links Otago Uni rubbish cleanup; Lincoln and Massey students in World Shepherds’ Challenge; EXITO blaster coating graduation; Unitec student wins furniture award.

Community/Industry Links

1. Heat Wintec’s heat chamber used to prepare athletes.
2. Kiwi Op Otago Uni @ Wgtn has helped operate on a white kiwi.
3. Links Auckland’s Rod Wills involved in disability arts festival; DairyNZ CE notes link with Massey; Aoraki hosted a multicultural festival.

Teaching & Learning

1. Literacy Workplace literacy by Sadler & Associates.
2. Links Quad bike training by Ag ITO and Taratahi; simulation game for Retail Institute won award; community ed by Occupy Wgtn; Otago Uni’s top medical school teachers; NZ Herald on Waikato-Tainui MBA in a quasi-advertorial.

1. Queen Bea for BEST BEST Pacific Institute of Education (BEST) has recruited Olympic sportswoman Beatrice Faumuinā as Chief Executive of a new leadership academy and charitable foundation dedicated to training Pasifika leaders. They’ve also got Lester Levy involved. Great work by BEST, which I think is now the largest PTE in NZ.
2. SIT’s 2m Downloads SIT has had 2m downloads from its iTunes U channel. It held the global number 1 spot for its intensive English courses for 6 months. Congrats to SIT. TV3 also did a story last night.
3. Provincial Polys Fretting Provincial ITPs are apparently concerned that MIT and Unitec are gettign extra funding next year while others are being cut back. Waiariki’s Pim Borren said that his ITP would lose $2.8 million of funding and 300 places for new students next year – funnily enough he didn’t comment on the vast difference in course and qualification completions performance between his ITP and the other two (hint, Waiariki isn’t above them). Going back to the main issue, from memory the 2008-10 funding round only saw major ITP increases in EFTS for Unitec, MIT, BOPP and…Waiariki. Increases for the first 3 were based on population growth, whereas Waiariki’s extra EFTS was to allow them to get out of a long-term slump in EFTS. They have now had that growth and TEC has probably judged that it wasn’t all good, but Waiariki will still be at a higher plateau than before even if they do lose 300 EFTS.
4. TEU’s Technology Boost The TEU wants a wider vision from Steven Joyce (not just quals and jobs, but social gains) and you can see/hear the speeches by Steven Joyce and incoming TEU president Sandra Grey at this link. TEU is also now on YouTube. They’re doing some good stuff. And TEU was also on Radio NZ’s Checkpoint on Wed night talking about tertiary education issues.
5. Auckland Uni Tutors Auckland Uni is apparently boosting the use of non-TEU contracted staff as tutors (or Professional Teaching Fellows). The PTFs apparently don’t get (presumably automatic) increments, which is a superb idea (the lack of them that is, I’m not a fan of paying by length of service).
6. Neurosurgery The ODT, Southland Times and others have gone to town on the neurosurgery decision with stories here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here. The upshot is that Otago Uni’s involvement is seen to save money for the health vote and provide for deeper and more attractive professional roles.
7. Retail Institute Wins ..an award as best small-medium firm at the JRA Best Workplace Awards.
8. Alcohol/Smoking Otago Uni’s Doug Sellman thinks the new alcohol bill doesn’t go far enough. Auckland Uni academics think dairies could sell nicotine patches and similar products.
9. House Auctions NMIT has sold two student-built houses.
10. Awards Waikato Uni’s Dr Richard Bedford has been awarded the Royal Society of New Zealand’s Dame Joan Metge medal and Emeritus Professor John Butcher from The University of Auckland received the inaugural Jones Medal for lifetime achievement in mathematical sciences. A UCOL performing arts lecturer is going to be a Massey resident artist.  Rutherford Discovery scholarships have been recognised by the Unis of Auckland and Canterbury. A film by a Media Design School lecturer has picked up an award.
11. Tyre-Slashing 7 cars had their tyres slashed at Massey’s Palmerston North campus.
12. Short Bits An Auckland Uni creative showcase (AMPED) is underway next week. Otago Uni’s science communication students are just about to show their short films – hopefully they’re as good as the tuatara one.  Wintec has brought an American expert on suicide to NZ. A poetry book is being launched (UC). Otago Poly’s Excite showcase is getting underway. VUW students are getting ready to build a sustainable bach.
13. Media Mentions A musician teaching at NMIT, , an athlete leadership student and sustainable fashion (AUT), dairy industry awards (Massey), a successful chef (MIT), high oil prices’ impact on tourism (Lincoln),