Massey University has signed an agreement with the US based University of Missouri, aiming to strengthen academic and student ties through exchange and other programmes.
Massey Vice-Chancellor Steve Maharey signed the agreement with Missouri University Vice-Chancellor and Dean of the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources, Professor Thomas Payne in Palmerston North on March 7, 2012.
Mr Maharey said the Agreement would boost collaborative research and student exchanges between the two universities.
Study abroad programmes and the exchange of existing faculty and staff are also included in the agreement, he said.
According to him, the pact will accord Massey graduates a broader perspective on the industry.
“The University of Missouri is known as a world leader in agriculture and engineering. For Massey University to help New Zealand achieve, it must produce globally informed graduates.
“This partnership will achieve that objective and provide our researchers the chance to learn from counterparts in Missouri and share their world-leading research with those in American agriculture’s heartland,” he said.
Professor Payne was accompanied by his colleague Professor Bryan Garton during his recent visit to New Zealand.
They visited the No 4 Dairy farm, Riddet Institute, Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Sciences and Hopkirk Research Institute.
They also met with several Massey University researchers who spoke about their current research activities.
Sri Lankan Partnership
On another note, Massey has signed a Memorandum of Understanding and Agreement with Sri Lanka’s Graduate Institute of Science and Management.
The deal will allow Massey’s Science and Business students to study for a year in Colombo and then complete their degrees at Massey two years later.
Institute of Information and Mathematical Sciences head Professor Tony Norris said that under the current scheme, the ‘1+2 Articulation Programme’ leads to the Massey Bachelor of Business Studies and Bachelor of Information Science degrees.
“This may lead to other Massey qualifications,” he said.
Assistant Vice-Chancellor (Academic and International) Professor Ingrid Day recently led a delegation to Sri Lanka to explore collaborative opportunities and attend the institute’s first graduation and award ceremony.
The group of students receiving their awards arrived at Massey for the first semester this year, with the second group expected in July.
“As Sri Lanka recovers from its lengthy civil war, it sees education as a vital tool in building the nation and its economy and Massey is very pleased to be chosen as a partner in this process.
“There is potential for sustained growth in a way that will benefit all parties and support our internationalisation strategy,” Dr Norris said.
