PM Guest of Honour at Waiariki Celebrations

Waiariki Institute of Technology

Press Release
For Immediate Release
Friday, September 5 2003

Prime Minister Guest of Honour at Waiariki Celebrations

The Prime Minister, Helen Clark, is continuing her association with Waiariki Institute of Technology’s as guest of honour at its 25th Anniversary celebrations next Saturday night.

Waiariki is celebrating 25 years as part of the Rotorua community and is hosting a gala dinner and dance at which the Prime Minister will be the after dinner speaker.

“We are thrilled that Helen Clark will be speaking at our gala dinner,” says Dr Reynold Macpherson, Waiariki CEO. “It is great to be able to celebrate such a special event with the Prime Minister. She has a keen interest in education, opened our new building in 2001, so it is great to have her back for another milestone Waiariki occasion.”

Event organisers are expecting up to 300 guests at the dinner being held at the Rotorua Convention Centre. Past and present councillors, staff and students will be attending. Other guests include Steve Chadwick, Rotorua MP, Rotorua Mayor Graeme Hall and Deputy Mayor Trevor Maxwell. Mr Hall was Waiariki’s first chair of council and Mr Maxwell is the current deputy chair. Chairman of Waiariki’s council Deryck Shaw will also be attending, along with members of Te Mana Matauranga, Waiariki’s iwi representation group.

The evening will start with a cocktail party hosted by Waiariki’s CEO followed by a welcoming powhiri. Short speeches will be followed by a buffet dinner and dance. Guests are invited to dress either formally or semi-formally. “It will be great to see the staff and students dressed up to the nines,” says Macpherson.

Tickets for the dinner are available from Dawne Hayward, 07 346 8883 or dawne.hayward@waiariki.ac.nz

A Courses and Careers Open Day will be held at Mokoia Campus as part of the 25th Anniversary celebrations on Friday, September 12 from 11.00am – 4.00pm. A powhiri will take place at Tangatarua Marae at 10.30am. All are welcome to attend to see what courses and facilitates are available at Waiariki. Full details are available on www.waiariki.ac.nz

Some history of Waiariki
- Waiariki Institute of Technology developed out of evening and day classes for apprentices, technicians, accountants and hobbyists at Rotorua Boy's High School.
- Waiariki was named after the Maori land district where its Rotorua Mokoia campus is situated and means "water of the gods".
- Established in 1978 as Waiariki Community College, it became Waiariki Polytechnic in 1987 and Waiariki Institute of Technology in 1998.
- It now has regional centres in Taupo, Tokoroa and Whakatane.
- Waiariki Institute of Technology was the first educational institution in the country to offer a degree in Tourism Management.
- Waiariki made history in 2000 when it became the first tertiary institute in New Zealand to sign a legally binding Deed of Agreement with local iwi (Te Mana Matauranga), embodying the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi.
- Prime Minister, Helen Clark opened a new building in 2001 that houses an extensive library, computer suites, lecture theatre and seminar rooms.
- Waiariki has around 500 full and part-time staff and more than 6,000 full and part-time students.
- Waiariki has over 80 full time courses on offer in 2004.
- Waiariki offers free Te Reo and free computing classes to the community.

ENDS

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