News

Colin Russell

CPIT Foundation has appointed retired businessman Colin Russell to the newly created position of Patron.

Applied Science lecturer Michael Edmonds describes the work being done by students Mel Tansley and Matt Hartstonge as they prepare computer animations for in-class use and for self-learning by students. Working on the project has been a great learning experience for Mel and Matt.

Barry Pett, Chairman of the CPIT Foundation addresses guests at the recent launch of CPIT's Language Self Assess Centre.

CPIT made the following press release about the project.

The following article by Barry Pett, Chairman of CPIT Foundation featured in the 13 January 2009 edition of The Press

At a time when many organisations are finding commercial sponsorships and trust funding harder to come by, the CPIT Foundation is proactively seeking to fund projects that can fulfil its long-term objective of upskilling young people.

Recent statistics show that unemployment is starting to rise and youth unemployment in particular is rising even faster. At the CPIT Foundation, our aim is to get students to be as employable as possible by the time they complete their course. The Foundation, a strategic partner to CPIT, can fund projects that will make this happen.

The 2008 Awards Dinner was held on 21 November 2008 in Boaters restaurant.

Grant recipient Derek Billings was unable to attend so he video recorded his thanks and appreciation in advance. His project was the writing of a book entitled Piwakawaka and the Forest which featured forest animals and introduced key themes in environmental management. The book was distributed to every primary school in the greater Christchurch area.

The city’s first tertiary course for Pacific Island elders (Matua Pasefika) living in Christchurch has compiled a booklet and DVD of their stories and songs – the first record of its kind in New Zealand. It will be launched next month at CPIT’s end-of-year ceremonies. The booklet and DVD are among a range of Pasefika learning resources funded by a grant from CPIT Foundation.

Media Release 14 October 2008

Puwha and pikopiko: are edible New Zealand plants good for you?

A collection of edible New Zealand plants, such as puwha, native spinach, Maori potato, dandelion, pikopiko and watercress, will be going under the microscope this term at CPIT’s School of Applied Science and Allied Health to find out if they have any nutritional value.

Applied Sciences tutor Michael Edmonds has been granted a CPIT Foundation Award for the project, which grew out of a request from a fellow tutor at CPIT’s Meat Training School who wanted to put puwha in his sausages and was interested to know if it would add any nutritional value.

Media release
9 November 2007

Technology used to teach children about the environment

An interactive game developed by four CPIT students in Christchurch with funding from the CPIT Foundation will soon be able to teach school children how to sustain the environment.

Media Release - 8 October 2007

Toxic blue-green algae in Lake Forsyth/Te Roto o Wairewa could potentially kill children and has killed dogs, according to a scientist who has been working on measuring the lake’s toxicity.

CPIT Foundation-funded researcher Dr Barbara Dolamore has been investigating the environmental effects of toxic cyanobacteria on the lake since 2004.