Oxford's Oriel College awards AUT VC
Professor Toeolesulusulu Damon Salesa, Vice-Chancellor of Auckland University of Technology (AUT) has been recognised by Oriel College at the University of Oxford for his academic excellence and achievements.
He has been appointed as an Honorary Fellow of Oriel College and received the award at an event at the 700-year-old college on Friday 2 February.
Provost of Oriel College, Lord Mendoza CBE noted:
“It is a privilege to welcome the distinguished Vice-Chancellor of AUT, Professor Salesa, as part of our collegiate community, not only as an alumnus, but also as an Honorary Fellow. I’m delighted that on Friday he was able to receive his fellowship in-person and join us in celebrating Candlemas in the evening.”
Damon completed his DPhil in Modern History at Oriel where he was a Rhodes Scholar. In awarding him, the College recognised his contribution as a publicly engaged scholar on questions of inequality, history politics and education.
As New Zealand’s first Vice-Chancellor of Polynesian heritage, Damon has committed to leading AUT to ensure talented young people from every background have access to a world class University experience and qualification.
Damon works to support and inspire young people – and their parents – through innovative and evidence-based decisions that put both excellence and equity at the centre of the University’s direction.
Though education now faces a deeply changed world, a University education holds a deep transformative power. As the son of a nurse and a factory worker, Damon knows through both research and personal experience the impact education has on individuals, their whānau and communities.
“The young people of Aotearoa New Zealand are a most precious responsibility, and we cannot afford to waste the talents of a single one of them.
“AUT strives to be a place where talent meets opportunity – we are unique due to our focus on world-ranked excellence and equity - offering real-world education and research opportunities to the most diverse range of students in the country, “ says Damon.