Airini

Prof. Airini is a researcher of international standing with more than 20 years of experience in senior academic administration leader roles, and expertise in higher education research. Airini holds adjunct professor appointments in Australia and New Zealand (NZ). She is on research and study leave from her role as provost and vice president academic at the University of Saskatchewan. Airini looks forward to taking up Professor of Education duties in 2026 in the Department of Curriculum Studies, with associate membership in the Department of Education Administration.

Airini held roles at two of NZ’s world-class universities (University of Auckland, University of Canterbury, both ranked in the top 1% of universities globally), each proudly defined by their stature in working with their local communities and regions, commitment to equity, the advancement of Māori and Pacific, innovation, and economic diversification in their communities. A PhD graduate from the University of British Columbia, Faculty of Education, Airini returned to Canada following leadership roles in NZ and the Pacific, to advance innovation in Higher Education teaching, research, and equity. She is currently Vice Principal, Green College, University of British Columbia, Canada, and honorary role in support of interdisciplinary graduate scholarship. UBC awarded Airini an Outstanding Alumni recognition, Indigenous Women in Leadership.

Her third university (Thompson Rivers University) is a leader in online learning (half of all 30,000 students are off-campus learners), widened access to higher education, and the world’s first comprehensive university to be awarded the environmental sustainability rank of Platinum STARS.

Airini commenced as Provost and Vice President Academic at her fourth university, the research-intensive medical university of the University of Saskatchewan (ranked in the top 1-2% of universities globally) in February 2021 during the global pandemic.

Airini is a national award-winning education researcher and teacher in both NZ and Canada, and a Fulbright scholar (Howard University, Washington, DC). Her academic leadership responsibilities have spanned a wide spectrum of disciplines, training and skills programs, and research areas. She has held government roles in postsecondary and K-12 education and has been a consultant to developing countries on education strategy and reform. With a solutions-focus for challenges such as child poverty and food security her research is interdisciplinary and applied. Airini has advanced Indigenous research methods internationally, including with United Nations (UN) support, and is a member of the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation’s Global Hub informing international policy development. She was the inaugural Chair of the Pacific Research Panel for the New Zealand government’s Performance Based Research Fund quality evaluation. With a view to building education systems, schools and universities that work for all, Airini’s research looks at how investment in education can return value and improved outcomes. Her research and development initiatives have directly shaped 21st century education systems so that education success for all can mean all.

1981-85	B.A., University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand.
1985-86	Dip. Tchg, Christchurch College of Education, New Zealand
1989-90	M.Ed. (Distinction), University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
1994-1997	PhD - Curriculum and Instruction, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
2000-2002	MBA - Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
2011-2012	Te Ara Reo, Level 4 Certificate, Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, New Zealand

 

Current teaching (2025/2026):

• INTD 990 (PhD Seminar)
• INTD 996 (PhD Dissertation)

Areas of teaching specialisation:

• Research methodologies and methods
• Higher Education policy
• Adult education, equity, and success
• Leadership education

Currently Airini is a supervisor for the Le7 te Melámen| Good Medicine Phd Interdisciplinary cohort:

This partnership with Tk’emlups te Secwepemc will develop ten researchers and leaders in Indigenous counselling, for community healing after the impact of residential schools. A collaboration with Thompson Rivers University.

Co-Supervisors: Dr. Airini, Dr. Angela Jaime

University leadership 

2021- present	Provost and Vice President Academic, University of Saskatchewan, Canada (on research and study leave).
2014-2021	Dean, Faculty of Education and Social Work (EDSW), Thompson Rivers University (TRU), British Columbia, Canada. Renewed in 2019 for a second 5-year term.
2008-2013	Inaugural Head of School, Critical Studies in Education, Faculty of Education, The University of Auckland, New Zealand.
2004-2007	Associate Dean, Equity, Faculty of Education, The University of Auckland; the first such role at the university.
2001-2004	Academic General Manager, Pasifika Development, Auckland College of Education: Leader of up to 32 staff delivering Indigenous-focused courses and student support.

International

2020-	United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation - Global Hub: Member The Global Hub on Indigenous Peoples' Food and Knowledge Systems informs policy discussions, and research agendas on food security, biodiversity and climate change at local, national, and regional level ensuring that Indigenous Peoples' knowledge and rights are central and that their food systems are protected.
2022-2024	New Zealand Performance Based Research Fund (PBRF) Co-Chair: Pacific Research Panel
2015-2018	New Zealand Performance Based Research Fund Chair: Pacific Research Panel Appointed as the Chair for New Zealand’s inaugural Pacific Research Panel, focused on quality Indigenous (Pacific) research. NZ’s largest research fund: $315M per annum.
2011-2012	Principal Advisor, Pasifika, Tertiary Education Commission  (Dec 2011- July 2012) Government agency responsible for post-secondary education across New Zealand. Secondment (part-time) as New Zealand’s lead advisor on Indigenous (Pacific) investment focused on lifting student outcomes in post-secondary education across New Zealand. First academic to be seconded to TEC as Principal Advisor.
2007-2009	Advisor and editor: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation Consulting advisor and lead editor to UNESCO (Paris) on education resource materials on Indigenous navigation methods; for distribution across the Pacific region and globally: The Canoe is the People: Indigenous navigation in the Pacific.
2004-2005	Pacific Consultancies NZAID, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Project Director, Cook Islands Ministry of Education 15-Year Education Strategy (2006-2020) development. Government budget value: $83 million. Created the first fully costed suite of policies for all levels of education: early years, elementary, secondary, and post-secondary.
2004	Project Director review of Tonga Teacher Education (2005-2015). Government budget value: $7M.
2000-2001	Senior Policy Analyst, New Zealand Ministry of Education: Secured inter-agency & Cabinet support for education initiatives to the value of $50M, predominantly in literacy and numeracy education, achievement by all, and curriculum (particularly The Arts).

 

Membership     

2020-present	Member of the Royal Society of New Zealand (MRSNZ)
2024-present	International Council for Open and Distance Education, individual member.

Dr. Airini's complete curriculum vitae