New Zealand Culture and the Environment: A Shared Future

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Offered every fall semester

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Overview

Program Categories:

Abroad

Program Location:

New Zealand

Semester(s) offered:

Fall Semester

Program Start/End Dates:

September 1, 2015 to December 11, 2015

Other Program Dates:

Students will have the opportunity to travel to the South Island during the break.

Program Fees:

Study abroad program fees may vary by institutions. See note below for complete pricing structure information.

A note about program fees: Some schools have a different fee structure. Check here for more information.

HECUA and colleagues in New Zealand have developed an interdisciplinary study abroad program devoted to the interconnections of society and the environment in New Zealand. The program examines how social and environmental factors are shaping political and ecological dimensions of identity and culture, and how New Zealanders from many different backgrounds are envisioning and creating a shared future in Aotearoa New Zealand, the "Land of the Long White Cloud."

In the early part of the semester, students are on the road, traveling slowly from Auckland to Wellington over a period of five weeks. Along the way, they stay in a variety of communities, where discussions of history and culture with European, indigenous Māori, and Pacifica leaders establish the complex bases of New Zealand’s identity and nationhood: its bicultural foundation and diverse multicultural population, the rich ecological setting, national commitments to peace and sustainability, and the challenges posed by globalization. Students learn about New Zealand's ecological history, the challenges of its "clean and green" national brand, and the sustainability frameworks that have been developed both by European and Māori New Zealanders.

To understand the distinctive features of Māori cultural life and the contributions of Māori knowledge systems to environmental management and to governance, HECUA's New Zealand study abroad program explores the history of colonization, the Treaty of Waitangi and Treaty Settlement truth and reconciliation processes, and the Māori renaissance. The program also explores the concept of indigeneity itself, seeking to understand how the Māori experience parallels or stands apart from indigenous experiences and movements elsewhere.

Finally, students examine the tensions inherent in New Zealand's evolving national identity and its pursuit of cultural pluralism. Though New Zealand offers an acknowledged model for environmental sustainability, its economic prosperity still largely depends on a biological base, with income from international tourism and the export of resources extracted through large-scale fishing, forestry, and agriculture, industries that place enormous pressure on the natural environment. While the country has achieved some success in weaving together Māori and European aspirations, immigration is bringing an array of new cultures and aspirations into the dialogue, and New Zealanders are now facing anew the challenges of working toward a national goal of cultural diversity — "embracing a world in which many worlds co-exist." 

Good to Know

The program is offered in partnership with the EcoQuest Education Foundation/Te Rarangahau Taiao, which sponsors students' New Zealand visa applications, hosts the program for a field experience, and provides evaluation and oversight.

The program is based in Wellington, with field study in areas around the North Island, including the Waikato and the Taupo regions, a Māori community on the flanks of Mt Ruapehu, Wellington, and the greater Auckland area. Field seminars focus on environmental management, biodiversity protection, Māori culture, national public policy, and urban planning.

In Wellington students intern for seven weeks in a local organization, becoming directly involved in efforts and debates around wildlife conservation, environmental advocacy, sustainability, transportation, water quality, youth development, cultural pluralism, and human rights.

While in Wellington, students are lodged in homestays with accredited families. Each student has his or her own room, and meals are provided. During field visits, students are housed in various types of community facilities and provided with group meals which students and staff prepare together. In some cases students shop and prepare meals together.

Students in the program are required to obtain a student visa to participate in the program. HECUA help guide students through the visa application process. For more information about the visa application process, contact HECUA student services.

Program Fee

The program fee covers group transportation to field sites, planned group excursions, lodging, meals, local transportation, medical insurance, and administrative costs.

The fee does not cover round-trip airfare from the U.S. to New Zealand, incidental expenses (souvenirs, extra food, cell phone service, etc), course readings, or visa costs.

Field Study

Field seminars cover a wide and carefully chosen diversity of locations and cultural perspectives on the North Island. Throughout the program, students learn from and interact with residents, politicians, technical experts, and community leaders and activists.

Taupo
The town of Taupo sits on the shores of Lake Taupo, near the geographic center of the North Island. The town exemplifies some of the most pressing sustainability issues facing New Zealand. The once pristine waters of Lake Taupo are becoming degraded by intensive pastoral agriculture in its watershed, and local residents and agencies are striving to address the problem through a combination of co-management arrangements between Maori and government bodies and an innovative integrated catchment trading scheme to reduce nitrogen runoff into Lake waters.

Whakapapa at Mount Ruapehu
One of the world's most active volcanoes and the highest peak on the North Island, Mount Ruapehu is an ancient source of Maori legend and home to sacred Maori sites. Students are lodged in a Maori ancestral marae ("meeting place") at the foot of the mountain. Students will be guided to the sacred sites, located today within a national park World Heritage site, and to the area's forests, lakes, and rivers. Discussions will focus on environmental management, traditional healing practices, and the place of Maori in national park management. Students also examine government-led conservation efforts and debate the role of government and non-Maori groups in the management of a place so closely tied to Maori identity. 

Wellington
In Wellington, New Zealand's capital, students will investigate the country's central political, social, cultural, economic, and environmental issues from the standpoint of politicians, national NGOs, and leading academics. They will also discuss the growing role and influence of green politics with Green Party MPs in the national parliament.

Auckland City (Greater Auckland)
Students visit various communities outside Auckland’s core to understand the impacts of the city’s comprehensive, region-wide urban plan. The plan follows an innovative framework emphasizing four “well-beings”: social, cultural, environmental, and economic. Students will hear from politicians, activists, and academics about the regional plan and visit several local experimental projects.

Note about the South Island: Students wishing to visit the South Island will have the opportunity to do so on their own during a one-week break (in 2013, the break falls in week 6 of the program).

Example Internships

Students will have an internship during the program's seven week segment in Wellington. Placements are typically in organizations focusing on wildlife and habitat conservation, climate change, food, environmental law, sustainability, transportation advocacy, community-based television, water quality, Permaculture and Transition Towns initiatives, local democracy, youth development, and urban agriculture.

Representative internship placements
The list below represents a range of sites that are ready to host students or that have hosted US students in previous years.

2015 Organizations

Conscious Consumers: Ethics, food, linking local producers and cafes, smartphone apps for ethical food purchases, the power of the conscious consumer: all these elements combine in the work of Conscious Consumers.

Generation Zero: Generation Zero is made of up of young New Zealanders working together to secure a thriving zero carbon Aotearoa.

Wellington Greens: The Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand is guided by four principles: Ecological Wisdom, Social Responsibility, Appropriate Decision-making and Non-violence, together with Te Tiriti o Waitangi. The Green Party has its origins in the 1972 Values Party, the world’s first national Green Party, and currently has 14 MPs in Parliament who provide an effective voice in Parliament, both for people and for our beautiful planet.

350 Aotearoa: The New Zealand arm of the international campaign 350.org to unite the world around solutions to climate change.

Greater Wellington Regional Council: Council responsibilities include environment management, flood protection, land management, provision of regional parks, planning and funding of public transport, biosecurity and biodiversity protection, and environmental monitoring.

Kennett Brothers: Probably the premier mountain bike consultants in NZ, the Kennett brothers have turned their passion and success on the bike into a wide range of events, trails, books/guides and consultancy work.

Sustainable Coastlines: Sustainable Coastlines is a young, dynamic, multi award-winning New Zealand charity that has successfully coordinated on-going projects in both New Zealand and the Pacific that have resulted in positive, real and long-term changes to local coastlines and communities.

Zealandia: Zealandia is a unique restoration project only 2 km from the centre of Wellington city. The reserve is surrounded by an 8.6 km predator-proof fence (like Maungatautari's) that has been designed to exclude 14 species of non-native mammals ranging from possums to mice.

2013 organizations (based in Wellington)

Jigsaw: a network of 44 organisations working to stop child abuse, neglect and family violence in our communities, and to help families raise their children in safe, nurturing ways.

Skylight: supporting people facing any kind of tough life situation of change, loss, trauma or grief - whatever the cause and whatever their age, and also assisting those wanting to help them.

Sustainability Trust holds workshops and enables solutions like ceiling and underfloor insulation, solar water heating, ventilation, electronic waste recycling, and central Wellington’s eco-venue for hire.

350 Aotearoa The New Zealand arm of the international climate movement 350.org to unite the world around solutions to climate change. Mission: to inspire climate action in communities across New Zealand.

Forest & Bird New Zealand’s largest independent conservation organisation that works to preserve NZ’s natural heritage and native species.

Wellington Green Party: the third largest political party in the New Zealand parliament with 14 seats in Parliament. Those elected officials act and connect with others act on the bases of Ecological Wisdom, Social Responsibility, Appropriate Decision-making and Non-violence.

Sustainable Coastlines: coordinates and supports large-scale coastal clean-up events, educational programs, public awareness campaigns and riparian planting projects.

Wellington Local Food Network: supports local food growers and initiatives that increase awareness of and access to healthy, sustainable food. “Local food” means food produced within 120km of central Wellington.

Hikurangi Foundation: incubates early-stage social enterprise to find scalable solutions to pressing sustainability challenges, and supports organizations that accelerate a transition to a sustainable, prosperous, and inclusive New Zealand, and that contribute towards New Zealand’s carbon emissions converging on a global target of 350ppm.

Intersect: a network that includes a wide spectrum of “purposeful young professionals” who “help life thrive in their ongoing search for meaningful work. We’re old enough to be highly skilled, but young enough to be active learners. We’re well-connected and clear about our values. We care deeply for our world. We define our own purpose, but we’re strongly driven to have a positive social / environmental impact.” They convene and connect, and engage in projects together like “Climate Freezes,” “Frocks on Bikes,” and “Parking Day.”

Mana Education Centre provides a wide range of practical workshops and seminars to support all educators wanting to engage in professional and personal development.

Pataka Art and Museum showcases the best in contemporary Maori and Pacific Arts, as well as contemporary New Zealand, Asian and international arts & culture.

Peace Movement Aotearoa: a national networking peace organisation in Aotearoa New Zealand for people who are interested in peace, social justice, and human rights.

2012 organizations (program was based in Auckland)

Royal Forest & Bird Protection Society (Auckland Branch)
Forest & Bird is New Zealand’s largest independent conservation organisation that works to preserve natural heritage and native species. Forest & Bird staff enlist the support and environmental vision of its members, and work to bring about legislation and policy that supports environmental protection. The Society coordinates hands-on restoration projects and educates people and communities about environmental issues through its publications and public awareness campaigns. In recent years, the Auckland Branch has had interns carry out ecological monitoring work in the Waitakere Ranges for the ‘Ark in the Park’ project.

Grey Lynn 2030
Grey Lynn 2030 is a participatory community organisation promoting and engaging in building neighbourhood spirit and cooperation while working towards a vision a self –reliant, positive, resilient, vibrant, connected and sustainable community. It’s a local response to the ideas of the Transition Towns initiative, and is active on issues such as community gardens, waste reduction and energy efficiency programs, and promoting local businesses and a farmers market.

Youth Line
Youthline provides a unique, community-based approach to young people who can access a wide range of youth development and support services. It is a leader in the development of the Youth Work profession and provides expert consultation and policy advice, and operates from an integrated model of evidence-based practice with a focus on community development, training, youth development and clinical services.

Affirming Works
Affirming Works is an innovative Pacific organisation developed in Manukau City over the last five years. It combines an effective team of young, professional Pacific men and women who offer an extensive range of mentoring and educational services to various communities within the Auckland Region. Its programs are based on the Pacific principles of love, respect, humility, and support and are designed for all children and young people, particularly addressing their holistic needs.

Enviroschools
Enviroschools is a nationwide environmental education program that encourages children, their schools and their families to think and act sustainably. It is a whole-school approach about learning and action for a sustainable future and is led by the Enviroschools Foundation who work in partnership with schools, councils and other organisations. There are 139 Enviroschools in the Auckland region, and early childhood centres, primary, intermediate and secondary schools are all part of the program. They work on a range of sustainable projects including native tree planting, stream restoration, beach clean-ups, reducing waste going into landfill, saving water by installing water tanks, and planting their own vegetable gardens.

WaiCare
Wai Care is a water quality monitoring, education and action program for community groups, individuals, businesses and schools across the Auckland region. The program supports and enables local communities to be active in the protection, health and management of local waterways and catchments [watersheds]. By engaging with communities and providing education, methods and resources, Wai Care enables local groups to take action in a variety of ways.

Faculty

Peter Horsley

Program Co-Director, New Zealand

Charles Dawson

Program Co-Director, New Zealand

Ngārangi

Community Faculty, New Zealand

Maia Brooke

Program Assistant

New Zealand

Ash Holwell

Community Faculty, New Zealand

Eligibility & Coursework

Documentation & Syllabus Examples:

A recent syllabus

Recent independent study projects by students

Prerequisites/Eligibility:

Students must have completed their first year in college
Students must be in good academic standing overall with a 2.0 GPA or higher (any GPA lower than 2.5 will receive extra evaluation)
Students must also complete all home campus requirements for off-campus study

Courses:

Maori Perspectives, Pluralism, and National Identity
Sustainability, Ecology, and New Zealand Environmental Policy
New Zealand Internship
Independent Study Project

Total: 4 course credits / 16 credit hours
The courses are taken as an integrated whole and provide the equivalent of a semester's worth of credit, i.e. 4 course credits, 16 semester hours or 27 trimester credits. This program is full-time, five days a week, with classes scheduled three days a week and 6-15 hours weekly in an internship, from week 8 onward.

Credits

Receive Credits That Count

HECUA's courses provide upper-level credits (junior- and senior-level credits). All students from HECUA consortium institutions receive at the very least "blanket credit," or sixteen credits toward graduation. Nearly all students also obtain significant major and minor credits for participating in HECUA programs. Like most off-campus study programs, students should work directly with their home institution to receive credit toward a major, or credit toward another graduation requirement. Other requirements might be "general education" requirements, "liberal education" requirements, or distribution requirements. Experienced HECUA staff are available to assist students in negotiating meaningful credit transfer.

To assist students with the process of negotiating credits with advisors and registrars on campus, HECUA has compiled information on how recent participants in New Zealand Culture and Environment: A Shared Future have received major credit from their home institutions.  

In addition, HECUA's Director of Programs, Sarah Pradt, is always available for more information on credit transfer and for personalized assistance with students' individual situations. Email or call her at 651-287-3307.

Major and/or Minor Credit Students Have Received for New Zealand Culture and the Environment: A Shared Future

• Anthropology
• Civitas Honors Project (Augustana College)
• English
• Environmental Anthropology
• Environmental Concentration
• Environmental Science
• Environmental Science, Policy, and Management
• Environmental Studies
• Geography
• Political Science
• Social Justice
• Sociology
• Sociology/Anthropology
• Urban Food Systems
• Urban Studies

Credit approval may be possible in other major or minor areas; the list above represents only arrangements reported to HECUA.

Previous Students' Methods for Credit Approval

• I am lucky to have a very helpful and trusting Registrar staff working at Augustana. They trusted the approval of my advisors on my course recommendations; it wasn't too tricky a process.
• Had to show the work that came out of my program to the Political Science Department head.
• Reviewed my academic plan with my major adviser before they approved me for the program, and talked to them again when I returned.
• To transfer my credit from general course credit to specific credits toward my major I need to supply all course work and syllabui to my major's department.
• I talked with the registrar's office. They seemed to know HECUA and didn't have a problem transferring credits.
• I filled out a form and spoke with my advisor about it so that I fully understood the process.
• The credit transfer/approval process at Denison is mainly done by the school and off campus study office prior to going abroad. While Denison approved the overall courses and credits, students have to individually seek approval from departments in order to get credit from those respective departments. In order to do so, our off campus study office provided us with a form, which we submitted to the departments we were seeking approval from. Once approved, these courses also had to be approved by the registrar.
• Go to your advisor to make sure that the program has the appropriate credits for transfer.
• I had to fill out the list of courses I wished to take and which general education requirements or major classes that I hoped they would count for, then meet with the registrar, as well as the head of the Environmental Studies department.

Student Reflections

Some comments from previous students in the New Zealand program

Q and A with Danny, Fall 2012.
Q: How has this semester been similar to or different from other academic experiences?
Danny: It has been extremely different. I have had the opportunity to talk to people in the field and work with people who are leading initiatives I only learned about from textbooks. It has been incredible.
Q: Were your experiences in the program consistent with what you expected before the program began? Why or why not?
Danny: It was much better than I had ever hoped. I did not realize we would be talking to such influential people.
Q: Did your participation in the program affect how you will approach education? If so, how?
Danny: Absolutely. I honestly do not care about what grade I get in this course. The things I have learned and the work I am getting to do with my internship organization has already done more for me than my GPA will ever do.

Katie, Fall 2012.
I chose HECUA because its model is congruent with how my teachers, professors, and mentors have taught me to live my life: not only with my head, but also with my hands and my heart. Being in New Zealand hasn't necessarily changed the way I will approach education, but it's made my love of real-life learning even deeper.

Becca, Fall 2012.
I definitely think the emphasis on reflection in this HECUA program has been one of my favorite elements of the program. I will carry this way of thinking in my studies and more generally my life. Often times when we are in school we are always running around doing one million things and don't take time to stop and focus on the present and what we have learned. This program has shown me the importance of living in the present and taking time to appreciate where we are and what we are learning.

Emily, Fall 2012.
This program gave me a new appreciation for learning on your feet and getting involved in causes at home that would foster my learning by participating. A well-rounded education means not just sitting in a classroom. I will from now on be looking for situations were I can learn on my feet from the doers in my community.

Q & A with Racquel, Fall 2013.
Q: At your internship, how did you participate effectively in the work of the organization? What was new for you in this experience?
Racquel: I conducted several presentations a day to school children and traveled to schools by myself when the "main guys" at my internship were needed elsewhere. I also was a good, animated communicator and was able to create a fun and comfortable learning environment for both the children and teachers. I have worked with children and done presentations for them prior to working with my internship site; however, I have never led a a beach clean up or been completely by myself for such activities. It was an amazing experience to be THE ONE person the kids and adults looked to for guidance and questions. It gave me the confidence that I CAN do this and I am, in fact, good at it.

Katie, Fall 2013.
Since participating in HECUA, I will never look at learning the same way again. I now understand how much growth can come outside of the classroom, and I will now look for learning opportunities outside of the classroom everyday of my life. I learned how to take control of my learning and how I can be a vessel for change in this world. I now have confidence in taking control of my learning and being empowered within my learning as a result.

Patrick, Fall 2013.
I have had several internships before but this was the first where I felt like I was really part of a team and was expected to pull my own weight. I felt like the organization was completely transparent with me about what was expected of me which made it easy to do my work effectively.

Interested in more info? Contact:

Lauren White

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