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Together across disciplines and locations we solve national and global problems through fundamental, applied and interdisciplinary research – while culturally and artistically enriching our world.
We are justifiably proud of our unrivalled record of research excellence in subject areas vital to this country’s society and economy – reaching back almost 50 years since the university was established and based on our long history of previous organisations.
Building off those successes, we endeavour to work collaboratively, to critically challenge, and to bring the best of our resources and skills to deliver solutions to complex problems.
Research not only defines what a university does; research is also critical to helping us all to understand the world in which we live. In addition to teaching, universities exist as repositories and generators of knowledge.
Universities produce graduates for the world of work. They are sites of rational critique in the context of public policy and social and economic debates. Most importantly, they produce graduates who will go on to create more cohesive, productive and tolerant communities.
See the Education Act 1989 (162.4) for more characteristics of a university.
Massey, like all universities, is going through fast change. We are having to respond more quickly and be adaptable and flexible to make a difference, while still maintaining our excellence and integrity.
Massey continues to grow and evolve to respond to research needs.
An example of our ability to respond quickly and be adaptable and flexible is our recent input into the COVID-19 pandemic approach advisory group.
Research at Massey is broadly defined and spans discovery, scholarship, the production of creative works and commercialisation.
Our research is distinguished by our focus on solving ‘wicked problems’ and contemporary societal challenges, in addition to maintaining our commitment to fundamental knowledge discovery.
This dual focus, along with our unwavering responsibility to build a better New Zealand, differentiates Massey from other New Zealand universities.
This approach to our research also informs the connection with our teaching and postgraduate supervision through the teaching-research nexus.
Our research strategy positions us to lift both the quality and quantum of our research output and impact. Massey aims to achieve this by meeting these commitments:
We are aware of our responsibility at Massey to demonstrate leadership in contemporary Aotearoa as we work to increasingly uphold te Tiriti o Waitangi. We aim to ensure it infuses and informs our research.
Part of becoming Tiriti o Waitangi-led is supporting, profiling and acknowledging Māori research and researchers as well as those working closely with Māori communities and research partners – this is one of our key commitments.
The work of our Māori scholars offers an incredibly significant contribution to both te ao Māori and te ao whānui more broadly. Those who have gone before us and their research accomplishments have paved the way for our current and future activities and its contribution to the realisation of Māori potential in an enriched Aotearoa.
Amongst other research strengths we have built off, our research is changing and evolving from our traditional strengths to areas such as:
Our research across the university and beyond is increasingly undertaken in partnership with others as exemplified in our 33 research and specialist centres that bring expertise and skills together hosted within the university.
Research and specialist centres
Colleges, schools and institutes
There are many ways we measure how well Massey research is performing on the international stage, including rankings.
For SDG6 Clean Water and Sanitation
UN Sustainable Development Goals
Includes teaching, employability, online learning, innovation and inclusiveness measures
QS Top Universities – stars audit
Veterinary Science (19th), Agriculture (34th), Art & Design (51 to 100)
QS Top Universities – subject area ranking
Veterinary Sciences, Agricultural Sciences, Communication, Business Administration
ShanghaiRanking
We have performed outstandingly well in the 2021 THE Impact Rankings by moving:
Massey is ranked 4th in the world for SDG6 Clean Water and Sanitation, the best performance for any NZ university in all SDGs. For SDG6 Clean Water and Sanitation, along with SDG2 Zero Hunger and SDG13 Climate Action, Massey was ranked 1st in New Zealand.
QS Top Universities ranks across a range of measures including employability and world universities.
QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2022, which was published at the end of September, ranked Massey as 251 to 300 in the world (up from 301 to 500) and 2nd equal in New Zealand (after Auckland).
While Massey has dropped 12 places from 272nd to 284th in the World University Ranking results, we continue to be ranked 5th in New Zealand.
Our results for ShanghaiRanking subject rankings are relatively stable. Massey was ranked in 19 subjects in 2021, the same as last year.
Veterinary Sciences improved to 36th in 2021 and Food Science and Technology is the other top 100 subject for us, ranked at 51 to 75.
The four subjects where Massey ranks number one in New Zealand are:
We recognise the critical role universities such as Massey play in society as civic institutions and the interdependence between research and teaching. We have a strong commitment to support and drive excellence in our learning and teaching that is informed by research.
We contribute to the communities we serve through teaching – by building our students’ capacities to participate in and lead these communities, so that Massey graduates continue to ‘make a difference’.
Massey offers students and staff not just a career pathway but a robust research system, with all of the support that comes with that and the university as a whole. From postgraduate qualifications to research to careers within the university, the opportunities to grow with Massey in the research space are endless.
Our educators are preparing a new generation of global leaders. Our students are diverse and are attracted to Massey because they want to achieve their personal goals or make their mark in the world. Our qualifications are research-led, informed by the best local and global experience, and have international standing.
Learn about our researcher support and development
We are committed to extending knowledge for its own sake and in partnership with others for the benefit of New Zealand. We aim to achieve this by:
We are at the heart of New Zealand communities. We are informing the way the country operates across the multiple sectors we touch on.
Our ambition is to deliver world-leading research, conducted in partnership with industries and the communities we serve.
We turn innovative academic research into commercial opportunities, through existing enterprises or new ventures.
Massey is a Tiriti o Waitangi-led institution. Read about te Tiriti in our strategy and learn more about it.
Stay up to date with the latest Massey university news and articles – from research findings to student activities.
Mon – Fri 8.30am to 4.30pm
Web chat – Karekōrero
Email: contact@massey.ac.nz
Phone (NZ): 0800 627739
Phone (International): +64 6 350 5701
Text: 5222
More ways to get in touch
Postal address
Massey University, Private Bag 11 222
Palmerston North, 4442, New Zealand
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