Get help and support for your postgraduate studies
Postgraduate study is a big commitment, so Otago offers a range of scholarships and learning support to help you succeed. The Pacific Postgraduate Reference Group is an opportunity to share ideas and get help where necessary.
What is the Pacific Postgraduate Reference Group?
Established in 2002, the Pacific Postgraduate Reference Group exists to support Pacific postgraduate and research students. Through monthly seminars and meetings, the Group provides a place where you can bring your frustrations and ideas and seek support and guidance from one another.
Membership of the Pacific Postgraduate Reference Group
Pacific postgraduate students across all academic disciplines, non-Pacific postgraduate students and staff with an interest in Pacific topics form the group. We encourage students in intermediate courses, such as a DipGrad, to attend as the Reference Group can provide guidance in getting started on postgraduate research. We also welcome academic staff or Pacific scholars.
Members of this group also contribute to the Academic Mentoring Programme by becoming mentors, assisting new and returning students to get settled into their studies.
Monthly seminars
Take the opportunity to present or discuss your work with the group. This can be helpful to students seeking assistance with resources, building confidence as well as an opportunity to develop and practise their presentation skills.
Pacific Voices Postgraduate Symposium
Held annually since 2004, the Pacific Voices Symposium is the longest-running Pacific postgraduate symposium series in the country. It is a welcoming, culturally safe and inspiring space for postgraduate students from all four divisions to present their research, ranging from Honours/PGDip to PhD. If you are a Pacific postgraduate or your research concerns Pacific peoples or the region, you are more than welcome.
Abstracts are reviewed and published each year in an annual booklet (can be added to CVs), and it's a great networking event. The Pacific Voices Symposium is a free event open to a broad audience of student peers, supervisors, University staff, friends and family from the Dunedin Pacific community, and the general public. Come along to learn about the amazing research happening at the University, to support one another, and to network with University staff and professionals.
Pacific Voices: Abstracts of past symposiums
A publication containing students' abstracts is released every year during the symposium.