Pacific at AUT

This is your central hub for all things Pacific at AUT. Here you will hear stories of our staff and students at AUT, discover our engagement with communities, and learn more of the research that impacts the lives of our Pacific people.

"Oceania is vast, Oceania is expanding, Oceania is hospitable and generous, Oceania is humanity rising from the depths of brine and regions of fire deeper still, Oceania is us. We are the sea. We are the ocean." - Epeli Hau'ofa

News from AUT’s Pacific community

Papua New Guinea Language Week 2024

Masters student, Gordon Max, shares his language learning journey as part of Papua Niugini Tok Pisin Wik | Papua New Guinea Pidgin Language Week.

Tokelau Language Week 2024

An AUT alumna shares her language learning journey as part of Tokelau Language Week 2024.

Pacific commitment highlighted

AUT strategy includes the University’s place in Aotearoa and in the Pacific and aspirations to make a positive and lasting contribution for our region.

Talk with trailblazers, a kōrero/talanoa

Business

Hosted by the Faculty of Business, Economics and Law, this year’s kōrero/talanoa highlighted the growth of Māori and Pacific entrepreneurs in New Zealand.

Pacific staff at AUT

AUT is a vibrant, diverse and supportive organisation for work and study. You can find Pacific staff in positions of responsibility right across all departments at AUT. In this section, some of our Pacific staff share their stories.

Our staff

Eke Tangaroa

Eke Tangaroa is a unique programme designed to increase the number of Māori and Pacific academics at AUT by appointing early career academics and supporting them to establish research-active academic careers.

Pareura Katoa (PJ)

He decided to take on the Graduate Diploma in Sport and Exercise to gain new knowledge for his career, says Pareura Katoa (PJ) who works for the NZDF.

Shaye Va

Her love of the ocean is what encouraged her to study science, says Shaye Va who completed a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Sciences and Marine Biology.

Crystal Verry

Studying business was an easy decision, says Crystal Verry who is studying a Bachelor of Business in Marketing with a minor in Management and Leadership.

Marie Loraine Esekielu

She had always wanted to gain a uni qualification to repay her parents for their hard work, says Marie Loraine Esekielu who came to AUT as an adult student.

Gyllian Falute Taei

She loves the community her work helps to create, says communication studies alumna Gyllian Falute Taei who is one founders of the Sue Taei Ocean Fellowship.

Talaiasi Lyndon ‘Ofamo‘oni

He wanted to be the best teacher he could be for his students, says Talaiasi Lyndon ‘Ofamo‘oni who came to AUT to study a Graduate Diploma in Secondary Teaching.

Tita Leaupepe

Sport has always been a passion of hers, says Tita Leaupepe who studied a Bachelor of Sport and Recreation in Management, followed by a Master of Business.

Tara Gagamoe

She decided to study both business and arts as it scratched both sides of her brain, says Tara Gagamoe who is studying degrees in accounting and criminology.

Jennifer Olivia (Olivia) Uhrle

For AUT business alumna Jennifer Olivia (Olivia) Uhrle, finding her path towards the technology career she has today was a bit of journey.

Husna Akbar

She has always been fascinated by the way humans think and behave, says Husna Akbar who studied a Bachelor of Arts in Criminology and Criminal Justice & Psychology.

Hannah Cartman

Hannah Cartman may have only finished her sport management degree a few years ago, but she has already had the chance to work with two very different national sporting bodies.

Ledwina Katuke

Her interest in holistic wellbeing inspired her to study a Bachelor of Health Science, says Ledwina Katuke who is currently in the third year of her degree.

Sona Patel

Education has the power to transform lives, says primary teaching student Sona Patel who is looking forward to being a part of this transformative process.

Kelepi Liava'a

He has always been passionate about people, says Kelepi Liava’a who studied human resource management and employment relations, and marketing.

Zuabe Tinning

She chose to study public health to address health issues from a broader perspective, says public health alumna Zuabe Tinning who is from Papua New Guinea.

View all

Contact details

You can get in touch by emailing pacific@aut.ac.nz.

You can also follow us on Facebook.

Office of Pacific Advancement

We’re committed to the wellbeing and success of Pacific communities at AUT and beyond. Our programmes and initiatives cover the student and staff experience, academic research development, impact and engagement, advocacy, and community-based collaborations and partnerships.

Student support

AUT offers a wide range of support for students and students can also be a part of the Oceanian Leadership Network. We also offer a number of scholarships for secondary school students, including the AUT Find Your Greatness Scholarships for Pacific students.

UniPrep programme

UniPrep is a five-week programme designed to make it easy for high school students to transition into university life. You’ll meet other high school students, as well as a wide support team of navigators who are current university students.