Can your immune system cure cancer, are schools killing our children’s imagination and should we feel guilty for telling
little white lies?
These are just some of the questions University of Auckland academics will be tackling at this year’s Raising the Bar
event.
Featuring 20 fascinating talks at ten bars in inner-city Auckland on one night, Raising the Bar is a chance for curious
minds with a penchant for a pint to tap into some of the big ideas and remarkable research coming out of the University
of Auckland.
This year’s event will be held on August 27 and will feature talks covering such diverse topics as sustainability in
space, tikanga and the rule of law, the precarious state of Aotearoa’s news media, and whether it’s ever ok to tell a
lie.
Raising the Bar is a worldwide initiative founded in New York in 2013 and has been hosted by the University of Auckland
since 2017. It aims to make learning part of a city’s popular culture – taking education out of the lecture theatre and
sharing it with the wider public.
“One of the most popular events on our calendar, Raising the Bar showcases some of the inspiring and important work
coming out of the university in a relaxed, informal setting. It's a great chance for alumni and the general public to
engage directly with some of our top academics, ask questions and learn about how their research is making a real
difference to New Zealand and the world,” says Mark Bentley, Director of Alumni Relations and Development at the
University of Auckland.
The talks will be held at bars in Wynyard Quarter, Victoria Park and City Works Depot, with each venue hosting two
talks, one beginning at 6pm and another at 8pm. All events are free, but registrations are essential. People are
encouraged to consider a ‘knowledge pub crawl’ and attend talks at two different bars.
Tickets are sure to sell out quickly, so punters are urged to get in early to secure a place at their preferred talks.
Visit https://www.rtbevent.com/auckland-24 to check out the full line-up and to register your place now.