Sweat equity: Student scholarships in Aotearoa New Zealand's universities

This paper responds to calls from past and present students to increase the value of postgraduate scholarships in Aotearoa New Zealand. Here we provide context for understanding the scholarship landscape in Aotearoa, including how scholarships are understood in relation to dominant neoliberal framings of higher education and persistent inequities within the sector. We present data which provides insight into the current inequities in Summer, Masters and PhD scholarship values. The average value of PhD scholarships has remained stagnant between 2011 and 2019 resulting in the average being $11,238 less than the Living Wage in 2019. We show that the average length of time full-time PhD students take to complete their doctorates exceeds the three-year tenure of scholarships. We argue the status-quo of low scholarships, supplemented by postgraduate ‘sweat’, excludes people from participating in postgraduate education, preventing them and their communities from realising the public benefits that such an education can produce. We suggest that these inadequacies could be addressed through (1) raising Summer, Masters and PhD scholarships to the living wage; (2) extending tenure of PhD scholarships; and (3) reinstating the postgraduate student allowance

Ō tātou reo, Na domoda, Kuruwilang birad: Indigenous voices in higher education

As we write this editorial, COVID-19 is still spreading rapidly across the globe. The Black Lives Matter movement has also extended beyond the United States and is motivating people worldwide to challenge racism and discrimination in all its forms. We are regularly told by politicians, news readers and social media that we are living in unprecedented times. But, for some, these times are not so unprecedented. Indigenous peoples across the Pacific, Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand have endured devastating pandemics before. We have also been subjected to over 250 years of colonisation that, at best, sought to assimilate us and, at worst, eradicate us

Early Career Researchers in Aotearoa: Safeguarding and strengthening opportunity after COVID-19

Early career researchers are critical to an innovative, connected and equitable research sector in Aotearoa New Zealand. It takes a long time to grow research capability and significant investment. Yet it can also be lost abruptly. This discussion paper outlines some facts about the ECR population in Aotearoa, highlights some of their key issues and concerns, and provides discussion points for how to safeguard roles and support early career researchers in the current COVID-19 situation

Integrated research sector: Future pathways for emerging researchers

The preparation of this position paper was led by Htin Lin Aung (University of Otago), Annette Bolton (ESR), Khoon Lim (University of Otago), Kiely McFarlane (Cawthron Institute), Brya Matthews (University of Auckland), Shannon Davis (Lincoln University), Sereana Naepi (University of Auckland), and Sarah Moss (Plant and Food Research). This position paper on future pathways for emerging researchers is the work of many, published under the auspices of the Early Career Researcher (ECR) Forum of Royal Society Te Apārangi in November 2022. It outlines a vision for an integrated research sector that promotes improved career pathways for emerging researchers