University forges ties with the University of Newcastle
5 March 2026
Partnership with the University of Newcastle (Australia) looks to build Pacific research capacity.
Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland and the University of Newcastle (Australia) signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Sydney on 5 March, to build Pacific research capacity and expand opportunities for Pacific scholars, students and communities across Aotearoa New Zealand and Australia.
The signing was attended by Vice-Chancellor Professor Dawn Freshwater and Pro Vice-Chancellor Pacific Professor Jemaima Tiatia Siau, and the University of Newcastle Chancellor, the Hon. Patricia Forsythe AM.
At the heart of the agreement is a commitment to co-design and co-deliver initiatives that centre Pacific knowledge and leadership - including researcher exchanges, Pacific focused Masters and PhD pathways, co-supervision, collaborative grants, and impact partnerships with Pacific communities.
The MoU establishes a practical pipeline from undergraduate through to HDR (Masters by Research/PhD) and early to mid career researchers, ensuring Pacific scholars are supported from research design through to delivery.
Professor Dawn Freshwater, Vice-Chancellor, University of Auckland:
“This agreement is about capability, continuity and community. By building Pacific research capacity together, we can scale Pacific-led solutions on the issues that matter most - from climate resilience to health equity.”
By building Pacific research capacity together, we can scale Pacific-led solutions on the issues that matter most, from climate resilience to health equity.
Working together on pipelines and joint research
Under the MoU, both universities will:
• Co-create HDR pathways (shared supervision, jointly developed research programmes) for Pacific scholars;
• Support staff and student mobility and leadership development for emerging Pacific academics;
• Collaborate on research that responds to Pacific priorities - health and social equity, sustainability, freshwater and coastal resilience, housing well-being, education and skills, and cultural heritage and languages, upholding Indigenous data sovereignty;
• Translate evidence to impact via a shared Pacific Research Impact Hub (policy briefs, open data, practice guidance) and community based partnerships.
Professor Jemaima Tiatia Siau, Pro Vice-Chancellor Pacific says building research capacity ensures Pacific-led innovation and strategies are shaped, driven and implemented by Pacific peoples, through co-designed research, shared pathways for emerging scholars and collaborative trans Tasman partnerships like this MoU.
“Pacific communities have the solutions; our role is to back them with research capacity, resources and respect. This MoU helps ensure Pacific scholars lead, from research questions and methods, to outcomes that matter on the ground.”
University of Newcastle’s Acting Vice-Chancellor, Professor Belinda Tynan says it was a proud moment to formalise the trans-Tasman relationship between the two universities.
“The University of Newcastle is proud to formalise our partnership with Waipapa Taumata Rau, the University of Auckland. This agreement deepens our shared commitment to equitable, culturally-grounded collaboration across our region. Together, we will co-design pathways that grow Pacific research leadership, expand joint research programs, and create new staff and student exchange opportunities across the Tasman.”
A Pacific strategy at the University of Newcastle
The partnership also aligns with the University of Newcastle’s inaugural Pacific strategy, currently in development and to be led by Professor Robert Greenberg (formerly of the University of Auckland). The strategy will strengthen trans-Tasman collaboration and reflects lessons from Ala o le Moana, affirming a values based approach to Pacific engagement, research and education.
Why this matters now
The Pacific region remains at the frontline of climate and social challenges, with communities seeking Pacific-led, place-based responses. This MoU advances a shared vision to grow research pipelines, braid Indigenous and Western knowledge, and centre Pacific leadership across Aotearoa and Australia.
Strengthening Pacific voice across Aotearoa and Australia
The partnership recognises the scale and significance of Pacific communities across both countries: in Aotearoa New Zealand, 442,632 people identified with Pacific ethnicities in the 2023 Census; in Australia, at least 337,000 people of Pacific heritage were counted in the 2021 Census - together illustrating large and growing Pacific diasporas whose expertise and lived experience are critical to research and policy.
About the Universities
Waipapa Taumata Rau | University of Auckland is Aotearoa New Zealand’s leading research university with a strong commitment to Pacific advancement across research, teaching and community partnerships. The University of Newcastle (Australia) is a research‑intensive institution with strengths in health, engineering, environment and Indigenous engagement, and a growing portfolio of Pacific collaborations.