Join Megan online for the final Staff Forum of 2022.
WED 26 OCT, 5:30-7:00 PM, ROOM F209, F BLOCK, OTAGO POLYTECHNIC, FORTH STREET, DUNEDIN
For more information: https://blogs.otago.ac.nz/visualstudies/ Everyone is welcome!
The Role of Commercial Galleries in Creating Markets for Contemporary Art in Settler-Colonial Contexts: The Case of Johannesburg, 1950s-1970s
Following my recent co-edited publication, The Politics of Design: Privilege & Prejudice in Aotearoa New Zealand, Australia and South Africa (Otago Polytechnic Press, 2021), I am interested in other lessons that might be learned from comparative studies of these Southern Hemisphere former settler-colonial contexts. One of these is the role of commercial galleries in promoting and creating markets for contemporary national art in the mid-twentieth century, a time when these countries were defining their modern national identities. In this paper, I explore the role of commercial galleries in mid-century Johannesburg against the backdrop of broader political, academic and critical frameworks. As a work-in-progress, I am particularly interested in learning from the audience how these issues resonate in the Australasian context and how this might inform my ongoing research.
Federico Freschi is a Professor and Head of College Te Maru Pūmanawa | Creative Practice & Enterprise at the Otago Polytechnic. He was formerly the Executive Dean of the Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa. A widely published art historian, his research focuses on questions of nationalism and identity as expressed in modern art, design and architecture.
image:
Gallerist Linda Goodman with Sydney Kumalo’s Head Matriarch (1962), Johannesburg, 1965. Photo: Egon Guenther, used with permission from the Egon Guenther Estate.
29 AUG - 2 SEP, DUNEDIN SCHOOL OF ART GALLERY, REIGO STREET, DUNEDIN
Adrienne Martyn
Snow Line
New works from Adrienne's time as Artist in Residence at the Dunedin School of Art.
EXHIBITION DATES: 29th August - 2nd September, 2022
CLOSING EVENT: 5pm - 6.30pm Thursday, 1st September 2022
VENUE: DSA GALLERY, Ground Floor, P Block, Riego Street (off Albany St), Dunedin
GALLERY HOURS: 10am - 4pm Mon - Fri
Masks are required to be worn at all times.
“The Four Daves”
We are pleased to offer by auction “The Four Daves” by artist Richard Budd, which have stood proudly on Plinths in the quad at Otago Polytechnic since February 2020.
The Daves are to be sold separately by silent auction via email bids.
The auction is offered to staff through the OP intranet, and by invitation to Friends and Patrons of the Dunedin School of Art Foundation.
Sale proceeds will be used to support the making of the next commission.
2021 Art School BFA graduate Dillon Waddell has been selected for the next installation for The Plinths, and his sculptures will be installed early in April.
The Four Plinths provide a space for our School of Art graduates to install a temporary exhibition. Each year a graduate is selected from the SITE exhibition which then provides the inspiration for the artwork they create for the Plinths.
How to bid
The starting bid for each Dave is $250. You can bid for one or more.
The highest bid gets to take home their chosen Dave.
For a close up look, feel free to view them in the Quad.
During working hours, access from Harbour Terrace or the OP Hub, main entrance on Forth Street, from 8 am – 5 pm. After hours access from Harbour Terrace.
Please email your bid to paula.petley@op.ac.nz with the name of the Dave and the amount.
Otago Polytechnic staff can keep up to date with bid progress at this link. DSAF bidders can contact Paula directly who will let you know if your bid status changes.
Current bids
As at 18 February 2022:
Dave Blue $300.00 (Reserve met)
Dave Wood $250.00 /Reserve
Dave Concrete $300.00 (Reserve met)
Dave Steel $250.00/ Reserve
The highest current bid will be updated regularly on OP’s intranet page Tuhono, and on the DSA webpage, so you will be able to check if you have been outbid.
Auction will close on Friday 25 March at 4 pm.
Successful bidders will need to arrange collection of their Dave/s.
If you are interested to read more about these sculptures, please see ‘The Story of the Daves’ PDF.
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Speak to our friendly tutors about your study options and career goals!
We have a range of tutors from different subjects available in the in the Hub at Polytechnic for a chat and for guidance on you potential next steps after school.
Members of the public are entitled to attend board meetings subject to section 48 of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 (LGOIMA). The meeting agenda and associated reports (if any) will be available at least two working days before the meeting on request by emailing jeanette.corson@op.ac.nz.
Here are details of the meeting scheduled to be held next month. The list is updated every month (not more than 14 days and not less than 5 days before the end of every month as required under section 46(1) of LGOIMA.
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Date |
Meeting |
Time |
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20 August 2021 |
Otago Polytechnic Limited Board Hokonui Marae 140 Charlton Road, Gore Please contact jeanette.corson@op.ac.nz if you would like to attend. |
11.00am |
TUESDAY 17 MAY, online
Join us virtually to meet some of the scientists and artists from the Art+Science Exhibition, Earth: caught in stone exhibition now showing, at the Forrester Gallery.
Please register at the link below to attend:
https://www.whitestonegeopark.nz/post/17-05-22-webinar-earth-caught-in-ctone
THURS 14 APRIL, ONLINE Seminar, hosted by the Centre for Science Communication
The Art and Science Project
Pam McKinlay
Pam McKinlay is an artist and curator and has been convening the Art and Science Project in Dunedin for several years. This fascinating project has been running for almost a decade and explores the notion of creative cooperation by teaming up scientists and artists of various disciplines. They are encouraged to share ideas and experiences to create thoughtful and powerful artwork. In this talk, Pam will be discussing her unique role in the Art + Science Project as a convener, curator and artist and how impactful the Art + Science Project series has been on the community.
For an archive of past projects including photo and video documentation, exhibition catalogues and media coverage please see the Art+Science Project Archive.
12 - 14 APRIL and 2-5 MAY (closed during term break), DUNEDIN SCHOOL OF ART GALLERY*, REIGO STREET, (Off Albany Street), Dunedin.
* Masks required for entry to Otago Polytechnic Campus
Top Art is an annual touring exhibition featuring a selection of the NCEA Level 3 portfolios that achieved Excellence in Visual Art in the previous year. Five streams are covered: design, painting, photography, printmaking and sculpture.
Top Art provides an opportunity for secondary students and teachers to gain an understanding of what is required to achieve Excellence at Level 3. It also allows members of the public to see the high quality art being created in schools.
Opening 7 APRIL, 2022, 5.30, The Hub, Otago Polytechnic, Forth Street, Dunedin.
Out of the Black : Into the Blue, Ceramic Works by Aaron Obbeek
(In collaboration with Otago Polytechnic Student Success staff)
Opening Thursday 7th April 2022 5:30 pm
The Hub, Otago Polytechnic, Forth street Dunedin.
For this collaborative work I wanted to create a series of ceramic objects that would blend well within the Student Success team's meeting rooms.
We wanted the work to coincide with and represent the support they offer to students across all programmes, which led me to making many bowls and jars that can have practical and adaptable uses within the meeting spaces.
The ceramics have all been hand made using the pinch technique, to create an organic looking shape and texture. The works have been glazed blue and white to capture the movement of water, adapting to it's surroundings and continuing with the flow.
Aaron Obbeek
March 2020
9 APRIL - 12 JUNE, 2022, DUNEDIN PUBLIC ART GALLERY.
Jasmine Togo-Brisby discovered the existence of the remains of the schooner Don Juan on a short trip to Dunedin in 2017, but it was not until she received the Tautai Pacific Arts Trust artist residency at Dunedin School of Art in 2019 that she began to research and investigate it's history in transporting coerced labourers from the Pacific Islands, in a practice sometimes known as "blackbirding".
In 2019 Togo-Brisby’s had an exhibition, at the Dunedin School of Art in 2019, "Birds of Passage" which explored the legacy of the Pacific slave trade. It was the culmination of a 12-week artist residency at the Dunedin School Art and the result of a partnership with Tautai, a national organisation dedicated to the development and ongoing support of Pacific arts and artists.
Togo-Brisby will exhibit "Mother Tongue," at the Dunedin Public Art Gallery April 9- June 12. Read more in her interview with Rebecca Fox, in the Otago Daily Times.
https://www.odt.co.nz/entertainment/arts/respect-wreck?fbclid=IwAR1TokNRRZ5JqM16jt3Mk81yMA2_w_K1bZEID5gFrTxZvCHTI1nLmxCX1hw
(Image: Jasmine Togo-Brisby at the Dunedin School of Art Gallery, 2019, "Birds of Passage" exhibition)
Sacrifice, Food and Death
Sabin Perkins
Post-graduate Season Exhibition
EXHIBITION DATES: 4 - 8 APRIL, 2022
DSA GALLERY: Ground Floor, P Block, Riego Street (off Albany St), Dunedin
2 APRIL - 6 JUNE, FORRESTER GALLERY, OAMARU, 9 Thames Street, Ōamaru
Following in the footsteps of successful Art and Science Projects over the previous seven years, artists worked with scientists from the University of Otago and beyond, individually or in small groups, to develop artworks which responded to the theme of “earth science” interpreted in a broad context. According to The Oxford Companion to the Earth, the earth sciences encompass fields of enquiry from “volcanoes to flood plains, diamonds to meteors, deserts to deep seas.” The disciplines included geology, climatology, mineralogy, and oceanography and opportunities extended from mapping the features of the third rock from the sun to journeys to the centre of the earth. The project exhibition was held in Dunedin at the Community Gallery in May 2021 and is now travelling to the Forrester Gallery in Ōamaru.
Exhibiting artists include: Megan Brasell-Jones, Vivien Dwyer, Desi Liversage, Senorita AweSUMO, Heramaahina Eketone, Kate Elder, Katherine Steeds, Stella Lange, Christine Keller, Jessica Ritchie, Craig Cook, Becky Cameron, Geoff Wyvill, Manu Berry, Debbie Fleming, Katharine Allard, Pam McKinlay and Down the Rabbit Hole Art Collective 2022, Sarah Shackleton, Eden Smith.
Thanks to all the scientists from Sciences at University of Otago, GNS Science and Otago Regional Council who were so generous and shared their time and knowledge throughout this long project:
Forrester Gallery, 9 Thames Street, Ōamaru
Free admission | koha welcome
Open Tuesday through Friday 10:00am - 4:00pm
Weekends & public holidays 1:30pm - 4:00pm
Closed Mondays (unless a public holiday), Good Friday, Christmas Day, Boxing & New Year’s Day
Image: Penguins diving in deep time, Manu Berry
As the world around us becomes increasingly complex and as the tensions between technological advancement and environmental degradation increase, it is clear that solutions for a sustainable future are only going to be found through collaborative approaches that are open to paradigms and knowledge systems that are other than those that have sustained the status quo. This issue of Junctures invites contributions that reflect on how the notion of ‘multi-’ can prompt the ability to perceive the world in new ways, to reveal new truths that are hidden in plain sight, to make connections between seemingly unrelated phenomena, and to generate solutions. It also offers an opportunity for contributions that reflect on the notion of the ‘multiple’ in creative and other contexts, and its implicit democratising and enabling impulses.
Every Minute is Precious
Liz Rowe
Post-graduate Season Exhibition
EXHIBITION DATES: 14-18 March 2022
DSA GALLERY: Ground Floor, P Block, Riego Street (off Albany St), Dunedin
The summer of 2021-22 has a been a unique time to visit the Dunedin Public Art Gallery. All aspects of the Gallery programme – from contemporary art to historical collections – are reflections of our relationship with Paemanu: Ngāi Tahu contemporary visual arts. This is an historic moment for the institution, expanding the stories we tell while upholding the legacy of Aotearoa’s oldest public art collection.
Alumni of Dunedin School of Art feature prominently across these exhibitions. He reka te Kūmara explores matauranga Māori though mahi toi, waiata and pūrakau, co-developed by four curators including Piupiu Maya-Turei (Ngāti Kahungunu, Rangitāne, Te Ātihaunui-a-Pāpārangi), Aroha Novak (Ngāi te Rangi, Tūhoe, Ngāti Kahungunu), Madison Kelly (Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Mamoe), and Mya Morrison-Middleton (Ngāi Tūāhuriri, Ngāi Tahu). Piupiu, Aroha and Madison are all alumni of Dunedin School of Art.
A major exhibition spanning all the first floor Galleries, Paemanu: Tauraka Toi – A Landing Place features newly commissioned works and ushers in a new generation of Kāi Tahu artists alongside well-established practitioners. Alumni and faculty of Dunedin School of Art have made significant contributions to this exhibition, include Moewai Marsh, Caitlin Donnelly, Megan Brady, Madison Kelly, Simone Montgomery, Simon Kaan, Ross Hemera, Rachael Rakena, Vicki Lenihan, Ron Bull and Emma Kitson. Tauraka Toi – A Landing Place is an embodiment of Paemanu’s aspiration to explore Kāi Tahutaka through contemporary visual art and to cultivate Toi Ngāi Tahu for future generations.
These exhibitions sit alongside the exhibition from the Gallery’s permanent collection, Hurahia ana kā whetū – Unveiling the stars, which was developed in partnership between members of Paemanu and the Dunedin Public Art Gallery curatorial team. This programme of exhibitions has been developed through the Dunedin Public Art Gallery Visiting Artist Project and Curatorial Internship, supported by Creative New Zealand Toi Aotearoa and project partner, Dunedin School of Art.
For more about the exhibitions and images please see at this link https://dunedin.art.museum/exhibitions/present/paemanu-tauraka-toi/
- Lucy Hammonds (Curator, Dunedin Public Art Gallery)
Read more in the Otago Daily Times > https://www.odt.co.nz/entertainment/arts/ngai-tahu-artists%E2%80%99-milestone-exhibition
Rob Cloughley, Pam McKinlay and Thomas Lord are recipients of an Otago Polytechnic, Staff Excellence in Research Award 2022 for their contributions to the Neil Grant Survey Exhibition and biography (with text by Art Historian Peter Stupples).
“Twenty years to learn, twenty years to forget, and then the real work begins to find your voice”
Neil Grant is an artist and a ceramicist. In his twenties he learned to work with clay, to throw, to mould, to coil, to slab build, to glaze, to fire a kiln, to decorate simple and complex surfaces. His sixty-year career as a ceramic artist spans the years from the flowering of domestic rustic pots to large sculptural ceramics and major architectural commissions.
He is well known for his distinctive reworking of traditional Shino-Japanese pottery into a fusion of Anglo-Oriental forms but recreating them in new and exciting ways.
This exhibition shone a light on the development of Neil’s skill and artistry with clay and fire and his legacy as an arts educator.
The Neil Grant 1961-2021 Survey Exhibition was held in association with the 60th anniversary celebrations of the NZ Society of Potters and Ceramics NZ National Exhibition 2021
A limited edition book accompanying the exhibition was published by Pamphlaterre Publications.
You can read more about Neil's lifetime achievements in the Otago Daily Times here.
Our publications launch late last year included a book edited by Professors Federico Freschi and Jane Venis (Te Maru Pūmanawa College of Creative Practice & Enterprise at Otago Polytechnic ) together with Farieda Nazier from the University of Johannesburg. The Politics of Design: Privilege and Prejudice in Aotearoa New Zealand, Australia and South Africa is available free online with print copies available for purchase. We're pleased to report that this work by Federico and Jane has been recognised with an Otago Polytechnic Excellence in Research award for 2021.
On All Staff Day you may remember that Federico Freschi and Jane Venis were given an Excellence in Research award for their work last year. With Farieda Nazier (University of Johannesburg) they edited a book called The Politics of Design: Privilege and Prejudice in Aotearoa New Zealand, Australia and South Africa. This book is now available free online with print copies available for purchase.
Read more about Otago Polytechnic research in this month's issue of Relevant Research:
Epiphytic Memory
Finn Petrie
Post-graduate Season Exhibition
EXHIBITION DATES: 28 February - 4 March 2022
DSA GALLERY: Ground Floor, P Block, Riego Street (off Albany St), Dunedin
See the Otago Daily Times article for an interview with Finn Petrie about his work.
Slow Forms
DSA Painting Staff Exhibition
Anita De Soto
Graham Fletcher
Michael Greaves
Michael Morley
Steev Peyroux
EXHIBITION DATES: 21 - 25 February 2022
DSA GALLERY: Ground Floor, P Block, Riego Street (off Albany St), Dunedin
(image: Anita De Soto, detail from Woman’s World, After Ruben’s. 1000x1200mm, oil on signboard, 2022)
An interview with Bridie Lonie (recently retired Head of School in the Dunedin School of Art) in the Otago Daily Times. Rebecca Fox talks to Bridie about art education, ways of seeing and recalibration.
Kia ora e te whānau
For a number of reasons, including staff availability, managing access under the new Covid traffic light system and the imminent switch to a new member sign-up system, we are temporarily pausing accepting NEW memberships to Tapuae, our teaching gym space.
Please be assured that we look forward offering this invaluable benefit to new members to work with our student trainees early in the New Year.
8 NOV 2021 - 21 JAN 2022, Ashburton Gallery, 327 West Street, Ashburton.
CONFIGURE Group Show with Kiri Mitchell, Sarah Baird, Kylie Norton, Maggie Covell, Tamara Nicholson, and Michele Beevors exploring feminism and feminist artwork.
Now showing at Ashburton Gallery.
Scope: Contemporary Research Topics is series of peer-reviewed open access journals published annually in November by Otago Polytechnic Press. Otago Polytechnic Ltd is a subsidiary of Te Pūkenga - New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology. For previous issues and author guidelines and malpractice statement please see www.thescopes.org. For more information on the details of the call, formats accepted etc please contact the Editor for the journal. This call closes 2 April 2022.
Work-based Learning Issue 3
The journal Scope (Work-based Learning) focuses on contemporary research in assessment of prior learning, learning in, for, and about work, and professional practice. It is concerned with critical debate about practice, theory, and history, and their relationships as manifested in the experiences of learners, practitioners, and researchers in work-based learning and professional practice. ISSN 2703-6227 (Print) ISSN 2703-6235 (Online) Submissions to Henk Roodt and Martin Andrew.
Theme for 2022: ‘Working around’, our professional practice-based theme is open and ambiguous since it allows us to address the numerous 'work arounds' that the age of Covid-19 have hoisted around researchers and practitioners alike in professional practice. It talks to innovations or pivots in research and workplaces alike. It also implies that work is all around us in the world of professional practice, and enables us to explore round about our work and practice to find the spaces where it meets enquiry, research or scholarship.
Scope: Contemporary Research Topics is series of peer-reviewed open access journals published annually in November by Otago Polytechnic Press. Otago Polytechnic Ltd is a subsidiary of Te Pūkenga - New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology. For previous issues and author guidelines and malpractice statement please see www.thescopes.org. For more information on the details of the call, formats accepted etc please contact the Editor for the journal. This call closes 2 April 2022.
Learning and Teaching Issue 11
The journal Scope (Learning and Teaching) is concerned with views, critical debate and reflections on learning and teaching theory and practice. It seeks to address current topical matters in the field of tertiary education. Its focus is on building a sense of community amongst researchers from an array of New Zealand institutions with the goal of linking with a wider international community. ISSN: 1179-951X (hardcopy), ISSN: 1178- 9528 (online) Submissions to Su Bolland.
Theme for 2022: Open: We are particularly interested in pieces which deal to the challenges, concepts and critical thinking around programmes, people and pedagogy that inform contemporary understandings of Learning and Teaching. We also welcome contributions to a special section on Neurodiversity in tertiary education.
Scope: Contemporary Research Topics is series of peer-reviewed open access journals published annually in November by Otago Polytechnic Press. Otago Polytechnic Ltd is a subsidiary of Te Pūkenga - New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology. For previous issues and author guidelines and malpractice statement please see www.thescopes.org. For more information on the details of the call, formats accepted etc please contact the Editor for the journal. This call closes 2 April 2022.
Art and Design Issue 23
The journal Scope (Art & Design) aims to engage discussion on contemporary research in the visual arts and design. It is concerned with views and critical debates surrounding issues of practice, theory, history and their relationships as manifested through the visual and related arts and activities, such as sound, performance, curation, tactile and immersive environments, digital scapes and methodological considerations. With New Zealand and its Pacific neighbours as a backdrop, but not its only stage, Scope (Art & Design) seeks to address the matters which concern contemporary artists and arts enquirers in their environments of practice. ISSN (for hardcopy version): 1177-5653; ISSN (for online version): 1177-5661. Submissions to scope.editorial@op.ac.nz
Theme for 2022: Open
Scope: Contemporary Research Topics is series of peer-reviewed open access journals published annually in November by Otago Polytechnic Press. Otago Polytechnic Ltd is a subsidiary of Te Pūkenga - New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology. For previous issues and author guidelines and malpractice statement please see www.thescopes.org. For more information on the details of the call, formats accepted etc please contact the Editor for the journal. This call closes 2 April 2022.
Health and Wellbeing Issue 7
The journal Scope (Health & Wellbeing) aims to engage in multidisciplinary discussion on contemporary research in the landscape of health. It is concerned with views and critical debates surrounding issues of practice, theory, education, history and their relationships as manifested through the written and visual activities, such as original research, commentary, and critical debates concerning contemporary researchers, industry, society and educators in their environments of national and international practice. Scope’s focus is on building a sense of community amongst researchers in New Zealand and the international community. ISSN (hardcopy): 2537-8872; ISSN (online): 2537-8880 . Submissions to Jean Ross.
Theme for 2022: This issue will consider, discuss and debate how sustainability is understood in relation to health and wellbeing, particularly sustainability in relation to health and wellbeing of individuals, indigenous populations and communities for example, health, ill health, shifts in health, access to health, local health, global health, climate change, COVID-19 or the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
EXHIBITION DATES
Friday 19 November - 5.30pm – 7.30pm Friday*
Saturday 20 November - 10am – 4pm Saturday
Monday 22 November - 10am – 4pm Monday
*NB: Due to Covid Level 2 restrictions there is no official opening event.
The exhibition is open to the public with sales taking place.
Sign-in, entry restrictions, mask wearing and social distancing required.
(IMAGE: NGAHINA BELTON-BODSWORTH
Coming Up For Air, acrylic & oil on canvas)
The Parkin Prize is a national drawing award and an annual exhibition held at the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts.
We are aware that a number of schools and early learning centres across Dunedin are either closed or have late starts today, and that a number of roads are closed and bus routes affected.
If you will be delayed getting to campus, or unable to get there at all today, please contact your formal leader. Otherwise, please travel safe and stay warm!
A reminder of our expectations of you on days like this:
Kā mihi nui, nā
Otago Polytechnic Communications
Whilst our official graduation ceremonies couldn’t take place on Friday 11 December due to a security threat, Otago Polytechnic is incredibly proud of our graduates and the resilience they have shown during 2020.
A makeshift and impromptu event was held quietly in The Hub on Friday to give graduates and their families the chance to collect their certificates and to get photos taken in their regalia. Hot food was provided and security was present to ensure a safe and enjoyable environment for everyone.
Nathan Laurie, OPSA President, expressed that while unfortunately we have had to postpone planned celebrations, it does not diminish the achievements of students in what was a really challenging year.
Since April 2020, polytechnics across Aoterearoa are part of the Te Pūkenga network. As a result, we are delighted to showcase presentations focused on a wide range of research concerned with human and environmental issues from across the 16 Te Pūkenga subsidiaries.
Following the successful Tā Moko Symposium 2014 and the Mauri Ora: Human Flourishing Symposium in 2018, the purpose of the Māori Research Symposium is to promote original Māori led or Māori-partnered research which nurtures emergent and leading Māori students, staff and scholars conducted at Otago Polytechnic and across Aotearoa. It will showcase and celebrate Māori research on a wide range of issues concerned with human and environmental wellbeing.
Otago Polytechnic Chief Executive Dr Megan Gibbons (Ngā Puhi) will open the symposium, accompanied by two keynote speakers – Associate Professor Carla Houkamou (Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Kahungungu, Ngāi Tahu) and Dr Eru Tarena (Ngāi Tahu; Ngāi Tūāhuriri). The MC for the day is Kāi Tahu media personality Rāniera Dallas.
Details:
Māori Research Symposium
Theme: Kaitiakitaka – Te Tai Ao and Te Ao Hurihuri/Guardian Protectors of our Environment and Ever Changing World
Otago Polytechnic, Thursday 3 December 2020 (mihi whakatu will commence at 8.30am).
To register, visit
Registrations close on 20 November. Free entry for Kaumātua (contact kelli.temaiharoa@op.ac.nz or tessa.thomson@op.ac.nz
Dunedin Tertiary Open Day, on 10 August from 9am to 3.30pm, is an opportunity for prospective students and their families to come to Dunedin, explore Otago Polytechnic and the University of Otago, and discover what student life is like in Dunedin.
Visitors can take campus tours, tour Otago Polytechnic and the University of Otago and affiliated student accommodation, and take part in expo events and subject sessions throughout the day around both campuses. These sessions include presentations, demonstrations and activities. There will also be the opportunity to chat to support staff and students as well as get career and academic advice.
Leanne Ross, Otago Polytechnic Director: Marketing, Sales and Communications, says would-be students will get a taste of life at Otago Polytechnic.
“It's a full day of seminars and activities. We can't wait to welcome learners and their whānau to our campus to experience what we have to offer.”
For the first time, visitors are being encouraged to download the On-campus Open Day app to help make the most of their time on campus.
It has everything they will need for the day: campus maps, tour information, expo details and presentation times for both the University of Otago and Otago Polytechnic. Visitors can even personalise their own agendas for the day.
You can find more information about Tertiary Open Day here
Learners now need 12 credits in each of three NZQA approved subjects rather than the standard 14 credits (literacy and numeracy requirements remain the same).
This change applies to all of Otago Polytechnic's degree programmes.
Our Bachelor of Nursing still does require a strong science background so if you would like to discuss your science credits for this programme (biology or chemistry), please ring 0800 762 786 and ask for the School of Nursing or email nursing@op.ac.nz
The only degree which sits outside of this NZQA change is our Bachelor of Midwifery.
The Bachelor of Midwifery will retain its original credits. However, if you don't meet the specific credits and still wish to apply, you can ring 0800 762 786 and ask for the School of Midwifery or email midwifery@op.ac.nz to discuss your situation. This degree also requires a strong science background to be able to successfully complete it but some allowances may be made due to Covid-19 disruption.
If you have any questions about this change or any of our degree programmes, please ring 0800 762 786 or email info@op.ac.nz
"Otago Polytechnic’s second semester vocational enrolments are up more than 400 compared to the same time last year,” Dr Megan Gibbons, Otago Polytechnic Chief Executive, says.
“This equates to us being almost 7% above budgeted numbers for domestic EFTS for 2020 and is largely a result of the TTAF.
“Our Cromwell Campus has experienced significant increased demand for primary sector programmes, including horticulture and apiculture.
“We are also investigating an additional stream of our Pre-Trade Carpentry programme in September, increasing available places by 28. This reflects increased demand for Carpentry courses.
“As a major training provider for engineering and trade – regionally and nationally, Otago Polytechnic is well placed to increase places for more students, as well as be agile in what programmes we deliver to meet the needs in our community,” Dr Gibbons says.
‘‘We have expanded programmes across our Dunedin and Central Otago campuses."
The Government’s Targeted Training and Apprenticeships Fund (TTAF) is a $320 million programme that targets support for areas of study and training, giving learners better employment prospects as New Zealand recovers from COVID-19.
The range of free learning opportunities include construction, engineering (mechanical, civil and electrical), horticulture, viticulture, agriculture, community support and architecture.
There are good summer jobs available for international students studying in Central Otago.
Central Otago is the location of our boutique Cromwell campus, which offers programmes in areas including horticulture, cookery, snowsports, outdoor adventure and apiculture.
Cromwell is a growing town surrounded by rugged landscapes, lakes, vineyards and orchards.
Many student jobs are available during the December and January export cherry harvest there.
For some, this seasonal job could even develop into a career in the horticulture industry.
The Cherry harvest begins in early December and continues through until late January.
It’s a great opportunity to meet new people, learn some new skills, make career connections and earn decent money to help with future studies.
This season is looking to bring one of the largest crops on record. Due to Covid-19 border closures, New Zealand is without its usual pickers – backpackers and those on working holidays.
This means there are more opportunities for onshore students looking for a vacation job, or perhaps a career in the horticulture industry.
There are currently many jobs available in New Zealand’s primary sector. There are roles in IT, business, human resources, technical skills and many more areas.
For more on the summer jobs, do a search of cherry harvest and packhouse jobs in Central Otago and make an enquiry.
Other websites that may be useful are https://worktheseasons.co.nz/hello and https://gohorticulture.co.nz/.
The events, which will be held at Forsyth Barr Stadium as well as online on Wednesday 24 June (12pm and 5.30pm), aim to help those who may have lost their job or are facing an uncertain future.
Key partners include Platinum Recruitment, Ministry of Social Development, Otago Chamber of Commerce and Otago-Southland Employers’ Association. Additional support and advice will be provided by Select Recruitment, Workbridge, University of Otago career development staff and Southern Rehab Ltd.
Otago Polytechnic Bachelor of Social Services (careers specialty) students will also be present, offering advice on key job search strategies.
“We will be running a job board with examples of how to identify what employers actually want,” says Wayne Green, Careers Lecturer, Community Development and Personal Wellbeing, Otago Polytechnic.
“Our students can discuss ways that these strategies could be applied. Some support services will be available on the day as well as some information on what people can access.”
Dougal McGowan, Chief Executive Otago Chamber of Commerce, says the events provide a chance for people to get some “real-world advice” about the best processes when applying for jobs.
“Some people may not have developed a CV or may not have gone for a job interview for some time. They might be in an unfamiliar situation. This is an opportunity for them to gain some insights from experts.”
The seminars will cover the following:
Two OPAIC students had the opportunity to expand their knowledge of the project management industry and to network with professionals recently.
Postgraduate Diploma in Applied Management students Fabianna Cinelli and Anastasia Timoshkina attended the Project Management Institute of New Zealand (PMINZ) conference at SkyCity in Auckland last week.
Fabianna, who comes from Brazil, says she was introduced to the PMINZ during her project management paper. She came across the conference while researching the institute.
She noticed that students could apply to have their attendance at the conference sponsored by writing a letter about why they thought the event would be useful for their career.
Fabianna, who already has degrees in communications and psychology, says she oversaw projects in her former HR role back in Brazil, so already had some interest in the project management area. She decided to apply for sponsorship and was successful.
She says the conference on Thursday and Friday was “awesome”. She met a lot of nice people and listened to talks about topics such as soft skills for project management, technology, general project management and construction.
Fabianna was particularly impressed by her sponsor, an Australian project management expert who has written two best-selling books.
Students also had the opportunity to attend welcome drinks and a dinner at the conference.
Anastasia, from Russia, heard about the conference through her friend and classmate Fabianna.
Anastasia has a degree in linguistics and worked as a Personal Assistant to a General Director for five years back home.
She says she had a little bit of knowledge about project management before she came to New Zealand and started her project management paper.
Like Fabianna, Anastasia wrote a letter explaining her eagerness to learn about project management and was successful in getting sponsorship.
At the conference Anastasia met her sponsor, the director of Project Box, who explained that project management needs good young professionals more than ever before. That’s why he gave this opportunity to Anastasia as a beginner.
Anastasia says she saw the two-day conference as an “amazing opportunity to meet the right people in the right place”.
Fabianna and Anastasia were two of just seven students selected for sponsorship.
An economic impact report, commissioned by Otago Polytechnic and released this month, shows the total value of Otago Polytechnic's Dunedin campus to the city's economy had increased from $241.8 million in 2015 to $350.4 million in 2019.
Viewed on a cumulative basis, Otago Polytechnic added more than $844 million to the Dunedin economy from 2015-2019.
The report also assessed the flow-on (or indirect) total economic impact of all Otago Polytechnic’s activities – including its Cromwell Campus and Auckland International Campus – to be $464.3 million in 2019, up from $444.5 million in 2018.
Over half (64%) of that flow-on expenditure across all campuses was driven by student spending. The remainder was derived from day-to-day Polytechnic expenditure and the impact of staff spending their wages and salaries within their local economies.
Overall, Otago Polytechnic’s enrolments in 2019 totalled 5370 equivalent full-time students (EFTS) or 8542 actual students (headcount). This represents a slight drop of total 182 EFTS to 5552 from 2018. Dunedin campus EFTS increased by 2.5% overall (domestic and international), from 3945 (2019) to 4057 (2018)
Otago Polytechnic employed 662 full-time equivalent staff (FTES) in 2019, across its campuses in Dunedin, Cromwell and Auckland (AIC).
Otago Polytechnic is one of Dunedin’s larger employers. In 2019, it employed 539.2 full-time equivalent (FTES) staff at its Dunedin campus, where 80.7% of students and 81.4% of staff are based.
“This recent economic report reflects Otago Polytechnic’s record of innovation and adaptation,” says Dr Megan Gibbons, Chief Executive, Otago Polytechnic.
“The past few months have witnessed societies, institutions and businesses readjusting to the realities brought on by a global pandemic.
“Certainly, there has been much use of the term ‘pivot’, of being nimble in a fluid environment, among organisations big and small.
“Otago Polytechnic has long been known for such nimbleness,” Dr Gibbons says.
“Our willingness and ability to remain open to collaboration, to engage with industry and community as well as lead, will be even more crucial.
“We all need to position ourselves so we are agile enough to both stimulate change, as well as react to changes, to take the opportunities that present themselves, think about our futures and what is important to us.”
The Government this week gave more details about its Targeted Training and Apprenticeships Fund (TTAF), a $320 million programme that will pay costs of learners of all ages to undertake vocational education and training
Otago Polytechnic chief executive Megan Gibbons says the announcement provides more clarity for those considering applying to enrol.
‘‘We are currently examining a wide range of existing programmes as well as developing a broad suite of new programmes that align with the Government’s vision for the tertiary sector.
‘‘These include expanding programmes across our Dunedin and Central Otago campuses."
The range of free learning opportunities - with no eligibility requirements - include construction, engineering (mechanical, civil and electrical), horticulture, viticulture, agriculture, community support and architecture.
‘‘We will also expand on our secondary/tertiary pathway provision and Maori and Pasifika training," Dr Gibbons says.
Key points:
Check out more information on the TTAF here
Read the Otago Daily Times article
We took a new approach to Orientation at OPAIC last week.
COVID-19 prevented our new students from attending their traditional on-campus Orientation.
Fortunately, we had recently finished designing an online Orientation course.
The course covers introductions to staff, tips for academic success, advice about living in New Zealand and wellbeing information, among other things.
We shared the course with students and organised two webcasts to guide them through the material last week.
Head of Department for Student Success & Employability Annemarie Meijnen led the sessions.
ICT & Facilities Manager Sonny Teio, Student Counsellor Ellen Yu, Employability Manager Andrew Tui, and Student Experience Coordinator Anastasia Timoshkina all spoke about their areas of expertise.
Staff from a range of other teams were also present online to introduce themselves to students and answer any questions.
Feedback from students was positive, with many appreciative of the creative approach to Orientation.
Not everyone would choose lecturer Daniel Pfyl’s 60th birthday present to himself. He is about to spend 30 days cycling the length of New Zealand.
“Some people have asked why I don’t spend two weeks in Fiji on the beach instead. But that wouldn’t be me,” Daniel says.
A knee injury from running two decades ago prompted Daniel’s physiotherapist to suggest a new hobby. Now he has a bike in every port.
“My wife always asks, ‘Do you really need another bike?’ I’ve got one in Rotorua and one in Switzerland just in case.”
Tour Aotearoa is a ride, not a race. Over 1000 riders will follow an exact route from the top of the North to the bottom of the South, with the entry fees going to a charity of each rider’s choice. Daniel has nominated the Red Cross.
“Cycling on gravel roads and beaches is one challenge – but being self-supporting is the other. You have to take the tent, sleeping bag, clothes, the whole lot. If there’s a mechanical failure you have to fix it. It’s all on you on your bike.”
Daniel has some sage advice for anyone brave enough to consider a similar escapade.
“You have to look after your backside!”
It took Daniel about two years to plan this adventure because he had to ensure the programme he leads continues while he’s away.
“I’m really grateful that the polytechnic has allowed me to do it.”
As Senior Lecturer at the Food Design Institute (FDI), Daniel thrives on helping others overcome challenges.
“I like seeing the students progress. They’re quite often very shy at the beginning, then you can see them getting confidence. The other thing I really enjoy is tracking where students go. I can see the programme is successful in putting students into the workplace.”
Recently a student himself, Daniel finished his Master of Professional Practice through Otago Polytechnic last year.
“It took about five years. The panel said I’m a very resilient learner!”
While Daniel can boast a myriad of local and international experience before starting his role at Otago Polytechnic 21 years ago, his biggest claim to fame is undoubtedly being the chef to the Sultan of Brunei.
“The budget didn’t matter. The biggest event was his majesty’s birthday – a 6500 person sit down dinner. I also catered for his private jets. It was an amazing five years.”
