AUT announces new PVC Pacific
Associate Professor Jacoba Matapo from the Faculty of Culture and Society has been appointed Pro Vice-Chancellor Pacific Advancement and will start in the role next week.
Jacoba (Sāmoa, Holland) has a deep understanding of diverse Pacific contexts in the community, culturally and educationally, from early childhood education through to tertiary.
She is a prominent researcher in Early Childhood Education (ECE), especially Pacific ECE, where she also maintains her registration as a teacher.
Jacoba will join the University’s leadership team and head the Office of Pacific Advancement, overseeing the interests of Pacific students, staff, community and research.
Vice-Chancellor Professor Damon Salesa says, “Jacoba displays a great calibre of leadership and understanding and pedagogical expertise, and a great vision that I am sure will see her succeed and do well for our university, students, and staff”.
Having completed all her studies at AUT, Jacoba re-joined last year from the University of Auckland, where she had been Associate Dean Pasifika in the Faculty of Education and Social Work for several years before joining the Faculty of Culture and Society.