RELATIONSHIPS AND MISSIONS

At AUT we want to develop long-term quality relationships with international universities, governments and communities. Through the Centre for International Development, our staff and students are able to undertake a variety of projects and establish collaborative agreements with overseas organisations.

Projects undertaken by AUT staff include short-term training programmes, both in New Zealand and overseas, for senior government officials, university staff and business managers from developing countries. We also have a successful record in providing strategic advice and training for capacity-building. Recent projects include:

• The Centre for International Development and the Faculty of Business organised two eight and six-week programmes on World Trade Organisation issues and international trade for senior government officials from Nanjing, China. These programmes included lecturers from national and local government as well as business and the community. A third group is coming to New Zealand for training in October 2005.
• Faculty of Business lecturers undertook a training programme to teach staff from Thailand's Rajamangela University of Technology about international business. This project was aimed at building on the participants' knowledge and understanding of the international business environment and global economy.
• An intensive programme for senior government officials from Indonesia provided them with background on health sector reform in New Zealand, as a comparison with Indonesia.
• A five-week training programme for environmental managers from Ho Chi Minh City in Viet Nam upgraded their skills in environmental management programmes and policy and improved their general technical skills. The project was funded by the United Nations Development Project.
• A 10 year project to upgrade the management and teaching capabilities of the Fiji Institute of Technology. The institutional strengthening project, funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) New Zealand Official Development Assistance (NZODA) has involved ongoing missions by AUT staff to Fiji. Through this project, AUT has helped to promote economic growth in Fiji and given FIT the capacity to meet Fiji's need for more and better-trained technical personnel.
• The Centre for International Development organised for AUT patisserie chef lecturer Renny Aprea to run a cookery workshop in Fiji. As a result, the lecturer was invited to judge a New Zealand, Australia, and Pacific culinary competition.

For more information about opportunities to work with AUT, see the Centre for International Development website.