Research and innovation

Embracing its distinctive position and commitment to Aotearoa, and the Pacific, the University of Auckland will advance excellent research for the betterment of our world and its communities. Our unique diversity of world views, and multiple ways of knowing, enriches and distinguishes our research locally and globally. Our research will reflect and be cognisant of Te Tiriti and will value mātauranga Māori as a way of analysing and understanding our world.

A spirit of innovative, creative and entrepreneurial research has always characterised the University of Auckland. We will build on this to become a global powerhouse for translational research, developing new commercial, social and creative enterprises. Our institutional culture will reflect empowered creativity and informed risk-taking, and we will instil an entrepreneurial mindset in our graduates. Integration of research and discovery into our teaching and learning will attract and inspire our students to be bold, curious learners and will further inform and enable our research endeavours.

We commit to being open and engaged, striving to build strong, transparent and reciprocal relationships with local and global communities. Our research will be relevant and have a positive impact on the prosperity, resilience, environmental sustainability, and the wellbeing of our society. This will be evidenced by confidence in the University as a partner and an independent and trusted critical voice.

Acknowledging that deep disciplinary knowledge is a critical enabler of successful collaboration, our researchers will be encouraged to work beyond disciplinary constructs to tackle the complex questions of our age. Targeted international relationships will expand and enhance the scope, scale and quality of our research, resulting in transformative impact, and enhancing our reputation as global leaders in signature research areas. Curiosity-driven research is a core strength of the University that we will continue to champion. We will support a diversity of scholarship and the multiple paths to impact, critical to engaging with our diverse communities.

We will nurture and sustain our research workforce providing tangible support for the development of the next generation of scholars. Our performance standards will respect the diversity of research activity across our institution and be compatible with a world-class university environment in which research careers thrive. This will include a focus on investing in and growing our Māori and Pacific research workforce.

• World-class research inspired by our place in Aotearoa and the Pacific
• A global powerhouse of innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship
• Relevant, purposeful, impactful research for our communities
• Ambitious research confronting humanity’s greatest challenges
• Nurturing, recruiting and retaining outstanding research talent
• A research ecosystem characterised by collaboration, agility, simplicity, engagement and empowerment

Strategic initiatives for priority one

World-class research inspired by our place in Aotearoa and the Pacific

• Identify and invest in targeted international research partnerships that support our transdisciplinary aspirations
• Deepen and strengthen relationships with Māori and Pacific communities
• Grow Māori and Pacific scholarship in areas of transdisciplinary priority
  

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Relevance and impact

Strategic initiatives for priority two  

A global powerhouse of innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship

• Boost knowledge mobilisation, research translation and commercialisation
• Invest in university-industry collaboration in transdisciplinary priority areas and where we have demonstrated global competitive strength or potential
• Identify innovative affiliation models (e.g. shared appointments, co-investments, triple-helix partnerships with industry, community organisations, government)
  

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Relevance and impact

Strategic initiatives for priority three

Relevant, purposeful, impactful research for our communities

• Be a research partner of choice for industry, policymakers and community organisations
• Review promotion and reward systems to appropriately recognise the value of a range of research endeavours
• Upskill and build capability of staff and students in research impact, engagement and science communication
  

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Relevance and impact

Strategic initiatives for priority four

Ambitious research confronting humanity’s greatest challenges

• Focus investment to recognise our transdisciplinary priorities and existing areas of proven strength
• Foster collaboration and create opportunities for cross-discipline collegiality through social or intellectual interaction

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Relevance and impact

Strategic initiatives for priority five

Nurture, recruit and retain outstanding research talent

• Strengthen, grow and diversify our research pipeline in transdisciplinary priority areas
• Invest in equity objectives and particularly the growth of the Māori and Pacific research workforce
• Identify and invest in academic leadership in transdisciplinary priority areas
• Provide outstanding researcher training and capability building in areas such as Vision Mātauranga, research impact, leadership and research integrity

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Capability development

Strategic initiatives for priority six

A research ecosystem characterised by collaboration, agility, simplicity, engagement and empowerment

• Review policy, processes and decision-making frameworks for transparency and simplicity, and to inform executive decisions on research funding priorities
• Invest in and strengthen shared infrastructure and resources to enable cross-organisational collaboration
• Adopt a framework to inform greater risk tolerance in our research
• Reduce and simplify administrative overheads and processes and enable agile ways of working
  

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Framework for action