Welcome

Welcome to the Global Studies programme at the University of Auckland! My name is Chris Ogden and I became the Programme Director on 1 August 2024. It is a pleasure to welcome you to the most distinctive degree at the University. If you seek a world-class education that will stimulate you intellectually, socially and culturally, then you are in good company – we now have more than 600 students (and counting) in our programme.

Our mission is to create the next generation of leaders who are best-placed to shape and understand the intersection of global trends and local issues. Our “Global” students are part of the most exciting transdisciplinary degree programme at the University, which is the largest degree of its kind both in New Zealand and the southern hemisphere.

The Global Studies tagline “Be different. Make a difference. Go global.” has a unique resonance for me. After growing up in England, I had an urge to see more of the world, an itch that led me to live and teach in Nepal and Japan, and which inspired numerous journeys across the Asia-Pacific. All of this kick-started a deep inquisitiveness about the world, along with a desire to know more about other cultures and asking how I could be a small part of proactive and positive change in the world. I am just like our Global Studies students in that I continue to be driven by these questions today.

Your different paths through the Bachelor of Global Studies and the Master of Global Studies will prepare you for an array of career opportunities throughout the world and in New Zealand. I look forward to welcoming you on campus and learning alongside you to discover and expand the world’s prospects and solve its challenges together. Haere mai!

Associate Professor Chris Ogden
Programme Director, Global Studies