First Master's in Marine Conservation launched

victoria-university-of-wellington

Mon Aug 07 2006 12:00:00 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)

First Master's in Marine Conservation launched

Monday, 7 August 2006, 11:21 am
Press Release: Victoria University of Wellington

MEDIA RELEASE

7 August 2006

First Master’s in Marine Conservation launched at Victoria

From January 2007 students from Victoria University of Wellington will travel around New Zealand and to Great Barrier Reef as part of the newly developed Master’s degree in Marine Conservation. A first in New Zealand, this Master’s course reflects Victoria’s increasing national and international reputation for marine biology.

Dr Simon Davy, Senior Lecturer in Biological Sciences at Victoria University is the Programme
Co-ordinator. He says “This is the first programme of its type in New Zealand and reflects the
ever-increasing importance of marine conservation at both national and international levels – for instance, topics such as climate change, fisheries ecology and whaling have higher profiles now than ever before”.

“Furthermore, this programme results from the huge growth in marine biology teaching and research at Victoria University, which has seen the appointment of five permanent marine biology academics in the last five years and a massive growth in research students, with the current cohort consisting of 19 PhD and 13 Master’s students.”

“We have had a lot of support in developing the new Master’s programme. The University of Queensland is contributing one course, and scientists, policy makers and conservationists from a range of research, government and charity organisations will contribute to others”.

The introduction of this programme has positive implications for all Marine Biology and Ecology graduate students coming to Victoria, as well as potential employers, as there is a shortage of graduates with marine conservation skills in New Zealand.

The programme has been confirmed by the Committee on University Academic Programmes which considers academic matters across the university system.

ENDS

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