MEDIA RELEASE
Wednesday 16 December 2015
Congratulations to our 2015 summer graduates
Auckland University of Technology (AUT) proudly congratulates the 3,838 students who received their qualifications at
one of the eight ceremonies held this week. This number includes a record 53 doctoral degrees awarded, up from 49 in
2014. In the last year we have seen a dramatic increase in postgraduate equivalent full-time students (EFTS) studying at
AUT, with 343 or 15% more postgraduate students than at the same time last year.
AUT’s first PhD graduate from PNG
One of those 53 doctoral students graduating is Jonah Tisam – the first Papua New Guinean to graduate from AUT with a
PhD. Tisam studied in the Faculty of Culture and Society under the supervision of AUT Professor Peggy Fairbairn-Dunlop and Professor Marilyn Waring.
Originally from Papua New Guinea, he worked most of his life with the Cook Islands government. His research focuses on
governance and the new public management outcomes in the Cook Islands. Tisam says he wanted to look at what is behind
the new system – whose idea it was, the theories behind this phenomena and where they came from.
“I wanted to find out how the people at ‘grassroots’ level of society, the wider village communities, felt about the new
system and how it affected them.”
Through his research, Tisam found many people did not know what this new public management system was, even though it
had an impact on their lives and on their island communities. It was also his aim to bring to light findings that could
help government and policymakers to make informed decisions. Tisam was praised by his examiners for giving the people of
the Cook Islands a voice.
“It is hard work but it pays off. Research is important to let our people know what is going on.”
Tisam is one of only 18 students from Papua New Guinea studying at AUT in 2015. Across all New Zealand Universities in
2014 there was a total or 67 international ‘EFTS’ from Papua New Guinea.
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