Culture and society news

Big changes to NCEA and polytechs

Getting New Zealand’s vocational education and training system right this time should be non-negotiable.

Swift book fills research ‘blank space’

A new book explores how Swift studies is bringing the cultural phenomena of Taylor Swift into academia.

Celebrate Cook Islands Language Week

AUT celebrates Epetoma o te reo Māori Kūki 'Airani | Cook Islands Māori Language Week.

It’s Vanuatu Bislama Language Week

AUT is this week proudly celebrating the first Vanuatu Bislama language week in the 2025 Pacific Language Series.

The end of open-plan classrooms

The end of open-plan classrooms in New Zealand, recently announced by Education Minister Erica Stanford, marks yet another swing of the pendulum in school

Advice for trekking to Everest Base Camp

If you didn’t know better, you might think it’s just a nice hike in the Nepalese countryside.

Top prizes for AUT Māori law students

Two AUT law students took out the top awards at the recent Hui-ā-Tauira, an inaugural event run by Tūmatakahuki | National Māori Law Students' Association.

Helping disenfranchised young people

An AUT expert in Alternative Education would like to see vulnerable young people better provided for in mainstream secondary schools.

National politics in local government

The problem with local body candidates aligning with national political parties.

What will NZ decide about seabed mining?

With the world facing competing pressures – climate action and conservation vs demand for resources – NZ must decide how or if it will allow seabed mining.