Spotlight on innovation and kaitiakitanga at Vice-Chancellor's awards

Thirty-one staff contributions were recognised at the University of Auckland’s Vice-Chancellor’s Awards for Values and Te Ao Māori Principles on 16 February, reflecting the breadth of work taking place across the University to support staff, students and the broader University community.

This year, 234 staff were nominated for applying thoughtful innovation to everyday challenges. They were recognised not just for their work but for how their decisions and actions brought manaakitanga, whanaungatanga and kaitiakitanga to life across Waipapa Taumata Rau.

As in past years, nominees and winners came from a wide variety of areas at the University. Some of the mahi celebrated included the development of an award-winning AI solution, improved onboarding for students at our accommodation halls and the launch of a unified, refreshed logo and brand identity. The common thread across all the nominations was not the size or impact of their work but rather the care, collaboration and long-term thinking that went into it.

At the ceremony, Vice-Chancellor Professor Dawn Freshwater referred to the values that have centred the University: service, respect, integrity and excellence. "But what has changed is the pressured and contested environment that we are all operating within."

She urged staff to hold fast to their values, congratulated nominees and winners and urged more staff to submit nominations for future awards, particularly in the Health, Safety and Wellbeing and Toitūtanga - Sustainability categories.

"Much of what enables a University to function well happens behind the scenes. It’s important we continue to celebrate and make these contributions visible."

Dr Faith Welch

Faith has led a transformational shift in how research impact is understood and embedded at the University of Auckland. Through visionary leadership, national influence and international collaboration, she has elevated institutional capability, shaped policy and positioned the University as a sector leader in research excellence, engagement and societal impact.

Te Haerenga Programme Team

Lillian Vimahi, Olivia Kerrison, Pepe Afeaki and Veronica Iloilo.

Te Haerenga empowers Māori and Pacific students through mana-enhancing kōrero and holistic workshops, building confidence, work-readiness and future leaders grounded in identity and values. Upholding Te Tiriti o Waitangi principles and guided by Taumata Teitei, Kawea Ake, Whakamana Tangata and Ala o le Moana, it fosters belonging and transforms lives through service-led excellence.

Kōrero Mai delivery team

Amy Fishlock, Amy Templeman, Bhav Lakhtaria, Bizza Zainab, Cassandra Ellis, Celia Eggleston, Chel Hernandez, Dale Harding-Thomas, Duncan McGillivray, Edwina Hoyte , Elsa Clune, Emma Bassett, Eralynne Ryan, Georgia Rowe, Guillermo Morelo, Helen Perry, Jackie Grenfell, Jeanine Scholey, Jennie Payne, Jo Copeland, Johanna Beattie, Judith McCool, Katherine Austin, Louise Manson, Lynette Farrell, Mary Ma, Michael Steedman, Neil Gardner, Niel Burger, Niki Harvey, Pauline Cabaloza, Pip Ball, Robin Southall, Sarah-Jane Dipert, Shasha Ali, Stefanie Boyer, Stefanie Kouch, Stephanie Yandall, Tammee Hourani, Tracey Gallagher and Zoe Gabriels

Through broad collaboration, determination and innovation, the Kōrero Mai team embodied a commitment to excellence, integrity, manaakitanga and whanaungatanga to deliver the new staff engagement survey – achieving the University’s highest ever participation. Their mahi equipped leaders to make meaningful progress in how we listen to staff and rebuild trus, and has established a new way to listen to staff.

Enterprise AI

Adam Sheffield, Jason Tutara, Kaitlyn Doo, Mahmood Shaik, Massimilian Berimballi, Matt Poole, Micah Angeline Bilbao, Pranil Singh and Steve Hollingsworth.

The team created world-class AI that handles more customer conversations than our phone lines with equal satisfaction. They embodied our values by creating new career paths for service staff, building AI community and establishing a repeatable model for responsible and values-led AI innovation.

Student Equity and Wellbeing Team

Carley Fletcher-Thompson, Olivia Luo, Shivani Kershaw, Sonja Epskamp and Tee Bouttier-Esprit

The Student Wellbeing team delivers holistic, evidence-based initiatives grounded in manaakitanga, whanaungatanga and kaitiakitanga to support student wellbeing. Through peer leadership, inclusive health programmes and national collaboration, they uphold the University’s values of excellence, service and integrity - fostering a safer, healthier and more connected campus community.

Acommodation Night Team

Anirud Arvind, Ashima Behal, Celine Lippe, Chingiz Akniyazov, Joseph Albert Louis Taguiam, Karan Kapoor, Melissa Leaupepe, Papaloa Talosaga, Patricia Simeon, Regina Tevaga, Robbie Morrish, Saira Naeem, Sarath Kumar, Sophia Pedju, Stanislav Ivanov, Tara Baker and Zhuohong Zhuang.

The Accommodation Night Team provides compassionate care and safety to over 4,500 students during the most vulnerable overnight hours. Their proactive support, crisis response and values-led practice embody manaakitanga and kaitiakitanga, helping us to ensure we maintain a trusted, inclusive environment that enhances wellbeing and strengthens the residential experience.

Professor Saied Baroutian

Saeid is a leading academic in the University's aspirations on sustainability. His innovations from landfill-gas optimisation and hazardous waste treatment to anaesthetic-gas capture and Mori-led kanuka pyrolysis, has led to better industry practice, community jobs and partnerships. Saeid embeds sustainability into teaching, policy and industry practice, exemplifying kaitiakitanga and Taumata Teitei in action.

Faculty of Science Sustainability Network

Anna Santure, Bruce Burns, Charlotte Jones-Todd, Jo Dodd, Joe Fagan and Michelle Roper.

The Faculty of Science Sustainability Network is a cross-faculty community of professional and academic staff who care deeply about Toitūtanga and te taiao. Initiatives in the network have led to tangible reductions in waste to landfill, supported opportunities for extraordinary young scientists and supported innovative, impactful postgraduate sustainability research.