OPAIC welcomed its new students today at Orientation, marking the start of their academic journey.

Academic and Quality Lead and Te Kaihapai Sean Bell introduced the Māori concept of ako, the shared process of learning in which teachers and students both give and receive knowledge. He told the new ākonga (students) they weren’t just another face in a lecture theatre of hundreds.

“You’re our ākonga. You’re the centre of what we do here.”

Sean spoke about OPAIC’s commitment to meeting the highest academic standards with integrity and highlighted that its kaiako (lecturers) are dual professionals who connect academia and industry, preparing learners to become among the most employable graduates in New Zealand.

He said employability was about more than passing assessments. It involved being a lifelong learner, a team player, and a sustainable practitioner. Sean also reflected on the value of whakapono, or integrity, and encouraged students to live their values and bring them to everything they do, even under pressure.

Students were today introduced to their lecturers and support teams and took part in a full day of activities, including a campus tour, IT induction, lunch, insurance presentation, and introductions to employability services and academic programmes.

Earlier in the week, undergraduate and postgraduate students attended an Employability Services and Industry Engagement workshop and an Academic Success workshop, where they met the learning support team, explored the experiential learning environment, learned about using artificial intelligence ethically, and took part in critical thinking and research activities.