Margaret Noble: Community remains at heart

Professor Margaret Noble

As we come to the end of 2014, there is much to look back on and celebrate.

For Waiariki, this has been a good year with sound enrolment across a wide range of courses from foundation level through to the new masters in applied management launched early in 2014.

New marae-based provision of foundation learning has occurred and new programmes in sports coaching and leadership and music performance have been introduced.

The growing range of our provision means that Waiariki has played an increasingly important part in supporting the development of a vibrant and strong economy and society for Rotorua and the wider region through the Bay of Plenty Tertiary Education Partnership, representing Waiariki Institute of Technology, The University of Waikato, Bay of Plenty Polytechnic and Te Whare Wananga o Awanuiarangi looking at tertiary needs in the region.

Consultation with more than 150 stakeholders has led to the development of a tertiary intention strategy looking at the tertiary education and research needs of the region.

This report provides a framework to help inform Waiariki's work in 2015.

Throughout 2015, our aim will be to continue to provide locally available provision. We recognise that for many young people and adults moving into tertiary education can be a big step and sometimes it is important to provide that support locally, supported by the community, before progressing to higher levels of study. We are committed to continue working in partnership with community groups, iwi and hapu across the region to increase access and educational attainment.

We have met a large number of these groups to share our vision and to look at ways in which synergy can be created with their educational plans.

We will build on this to further enhance initiatives such as the Maori and Pasifika trade TRaining launched by Steven Joyce in July 2014.

In 2015, we will also focus on how we can respond to the region's priority economic sectors.

Accordingly, plans are well under way in developing new programmes in applied science to support growing work in environmental management, effective use of resources and the harnessing of geothermal energy.

We will also add a new suite of postgraduate programmes in applied professional studies, catering, in particular, to the needs of the health, education and social and community workforce.

Our new health and science centre opens in January providing state of the art facilities for our popular nursing degree and as well as high quality accommodation and flexible learning facilities for other programmes.

New sports fields will open providing an important resource for certificate and diploma programmes as well as access for the community.

The community will continue to remain at the heart of what we do.

There are many success stories of how, through studying, students have gained the entrepreneurial, leadership and technical skills to launch successful careers.

We look forward to continuing to work in partnerships with stakeholders and the wider community to support the region's growth into and beyond 2015.

-Margaret Noble is the chief executive of Waiariki Institute of Technology