22 June 2022 at 9:30 am

NZ-China Tripartite Partnership Funds awarded

Three university research proposals have each been awarded NZD$25,000 from the Tripartite Fund to support collaborative research with university partners in China in 2022-23.

Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao congratulates Dr Stephen Croucher and Associate Professor Mingsheng Li from Massey University; Dr Shengnan Wang from the University of Auckland; and Professor Nicholas Rowe from the University of Auckland.

The awardees were selected from a number of proposals by an assessment panel which included representatives from the Ministry of Business, Immigration and Employment; Ministry of Education; Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade; and ENZ.

The New Zealand-China Tripartite Partnership Fund is an ENZ-sponsored initiative to encourage the development of strategic research relationships between New Zealand and China, as part of our wider goals to develop strong global connections and highlight the quality of New Zealand education and research.

The fund was established in 2005 when the New Zealand and China Ministries of Education agreed to formally support and promote tripartite relationships between Kiwi and Chinese institutions, in which a New Zealand university became the ‘third brother’ to an existing ‘two brothers’ agreement.

Massey University Dr Stephen Croucher

“Protection of the Endangered Languages and Cultural Diversity in West China: A Case study of Miao Minority Language in Guizhou Province, China”

Massey University will continue its established Tripartite relationship in the humanities and social sciences with Beijing Jiatong University and Guizhou University. The relationship is supported with a Memorandum of Understanding signed in February 2022 by the three institutions for the next five-year period.

The 2022-23 funding will support research into how to maintain, protect, and revitalize the Miao language, a minority language categorized as severely endangered. Research findings will be shared through publications, conferences and reports. Funding will support transcriptions, data entry, conference costs, and travel to rural areas to conduct research.

Professor Stephen Croucher, Massey University

Associate Professor Mingsheng Li, Massey University

Associate Professor Haiyan ZHANG, Beijing Jiaotong University

Professor Lin SHEN, Guizhou University

 

University of Auckland Research Fellow Dr Shengnan Wang

“The Project Hui: An innovative virtual exchange programme for preservice teachers in New Zealand and China”

This new Tripartite Partnership in the social sciences is with Beijing Normal University and Qinghai Normal University. The University of Auckland received funding to conduct research into international exchange experiences for preservice teachers. Professor Wang proposes the Project Hui, a six-week digital international exchange programme aimed at bringing together the preservice teachers and education experts from each of the three partner universities.

The Tripartite Fund will enable all three partners to design the virtual exchange programme and implement a pilot trial to test efficacy. The proposal outlines the potential for growth and expansion of Hui as a virtual alternative exchange programme.

Dr Shengnan Wang, University of Auckland

Professor Guoyuan Sang, Beijing Normal University

Associate Professor Weiyu Song, Qinghai Normal University

 

University of Auckland Professor Nicholas Rowe

“Teacher training for creativity and collaboration”

This new Tripartite relationship in the arts and social sciences is with Chengdu University and Beijing Normal University. The research project is built around an online learning tool that can provide effective professional development for teachers of creativity. The tool is currently under development as a microcredential at the University of Auckland and through the Tripartite Partnership Funding, the research and development of the digital resource will be expanded to explore the professional development needs of tertiary educators in China.

Image below: Professor Nicholas Rowe (University of Auckland) front row, centre and Professor Tuomeciren Heyang (Chengdu University) front row, to the right of Prof Rowe with staff of the Faculty of Creative Arts at Chengdu University

Image below: From Left to Right Professor Jie Wang (Beijing Normal University) Professor Lv Yisheng (Beijing Dance Academy) Professor Nicholas Rowe (University of Auckland) and Haiwen Wu, (Chinese Ethnic and Folk Dance Test Centre), in Beijing.

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