Equity
The Faculty offers a number of well established, highly effective initiatives that focus on student success - working with communities to increase awareness and uptake of science and technology, building social cohesion, increasing wellbeing and contributing to an equitable society.
On Campus
Te Ropu Āwhina Putaiao (Āwhina)
Āwhina is the on campus whānau for Māori and Pacific science, technology, engineering, architecture and design students. Āwhina is about collective success, high expectations, aspirations and achievements, reciprocity and inclusiveness.
In its ten years of existence Āwhina has produced 691 graduates, including 8 PhDs and a science academic staff member, and secured $4.2m of scholarships of which $3.7m were nationally contested. Scholarships have been critical to the growth of Āwhina at undergraduate and postgraduate level. The latest crop of scholarship recipients include 6 new PhDs and 1 Postdoctoral fellow.
For most students, involvement in Āwhina starts at first year level. Here are some comments from undergraduate Āwhina whānau members:
Tristram (Niue)
I was born in New Zealand and raised in Porirua. I'm a third year BE (electrical engineering) student and an Āwhina mentor for first year Māori and Pacific engineering students. The Āwhina environment keeps me positive and focused on my goals. Without that I probably wouldn't have kept going.
Ashton (Cook Islands)
I was born and bred in Upper Hutt. I'm in the second year of a conjoint BSc/BCA degree majoring in mathematics and economics. Last year I was a mentee and this year I'm able to give something back by being a mentor. Āwhina is my favourite part of university. I really like the way everyone helps one another and contributes to Māori and Pacific communities.
Find out more on the Āwhina website.
Equity-help
These subject-specific, weekly, small group sessions are available to all students struggling with 100 level science courses. Course specific sessions are set up in response to students needs. Sessions are facilitated by senior undergraduate or postgraduate students with first hand experience of all aspects of the course. Each year Equity-Help teams contain a number of facilitators who attended Equity-Help sessions.
Equity-Help students are expected to help themselves by attending lectures, tutorials and labs and to work together between Equity-Help sessions. Each year 20-33% of students enrolled in some courses also attend Equity-Help sessions. Pass rates are always 15-25% higher than the course pass rate.
Off Campus
Schools' Outreach
Mentors continue to add a tertiary dimension to secondary school science and technology and provide a bridge to university study. Programmes are tailored to the needs of participating pupils.
The positive impact of this interaction is demonstrated by an improvement in pupils grades, positive comments from teachers and parents and progression to tertiary study. Additional information is available on www.hvhs.school.nz
Collaborative work has resulted in increased parental involvement in pupils' learning and the production of unique multimedia resources for NCEA. Additional information is available on www.physics.school.nz
Community Outreach
The faculty has well established links with the scientific community. Over the past ten years the focus has been to develop partnerships with communities to increase their involvement in, and uptake of science and technology. This has resulted in a number of successful 3-4 day community based activities with all age groups participating. In response to community requests, the number of activities offered locally and nationally will increase in 2010.
Find out more on the Āwhina website.