MEDIA RELEASE
1 June 2006
WelTec’s Centre for Smart for Product Launched
Wellington Institute of Technology’s (WelTec) Centre for Smart Product was officially launched last night by the
Minister for Tertiary Education, the Hon. Dr Michael Cullen, who applauded the initiative.
WelTec Centre for Smart Product Director Paul Mather says that the Centre is an initiative to assist New Zealand
companies that design, make and sell innovative products internationally, while providing unparalleled learning
opportunities for WelTec students.
“We’ve been in development mode for about 18 months, working on some initial projects and building a 3D Visualisation
and Replication facility,” says Paul. So now we can launch ourselves as a fully functioning centre with joint benefits
for students, industry and New Zealand’s economy.
“The Centre is already helping regional businesses become learning organisations and world competitive exporters by
making the most of technology; research and development; and improved productivity,” says Paul.
“By working with industry in this way the Centre creates an innovative learning environment, ensuring that WelTec is
building future-proofed skills for its students and staff.“
As well as engineering and technology students, students on WelTec’s New Venture Development and Product Design and
Development programmes have access to the Centre for Smart Product facilities to further develop their ideas and
projects.
Dr Cullen says that initiatives such as the Centre for Smart Product provide an immediate way of assessing quality and
relevance in education. “By merging the teaching of the relevant discipline with its real life application in businesses
which need, at the end of the day, to apply a strict commercial ruler to what goes on,” says Dr Cullen. “The learning
that goes on in this context is arguably a much more complete preparation for students seeking to pursue a career in
their chosen field.”
Ian Fitzgerald, Chairperson of innovative outdoor clothing manufacturer Norsewear, says that the company has involved
WelTec students and the Centre for Smart Product in a number of projects. “Projects that students have worked on with us
have been very valuable learning for the students as well as adding value to our company that we would otherwise not
have been achieve.”
The Centre received seed funding from the Tertiary Education Commission’s Innovation and Development Fund. The Fund was
established to support innovation in tertiary education.
ENDS