Kia ora,

We are pleased to be able to host Professor Stuart McNaughton ONZM for a discussion about his new book 'Building on Our Strengths: Improving Education in Aotearoa New Zealand.

In the face of persistent challenges within Aotearoa New Zealand's education system, Building on our Strengths offers a fresh perspective on ways of improving the system by focusing on what we are good at. With the OECD highlighting our system's high quality but low equity, this book shifts focus from mere problems to uncovering what we do well.

Drawing on extensive research and personal insights from the former Chief Education Scientific Advisor to the Ministry of Education, this book explores five key strengths that could serve as catalysts for transformation. From the power of being local, learning from children, trying to be bicultural, to the rich tradition of partnerships, creativity and innovation, Building on our Strengths delves into the elements that could drive progress.

In a time when education reform often focuses on deficiencies, this book champions the notion that understanding and leveraging our strengths is crucial for creating a more equitable and effective education system.

Who is Stuart McNaughton?

Stuart is Professor of Education at Waipapa Taumata Rau The University of Auckland. He has published extensively on children’s development, the design of effective educational programmes for culturally and linguistically diverse populations, and cultural processes in development. He was the Founding Director of the Woolf Fisher Research Centre | Te Pūtahi, which pioneered research in design-based school change. His current research focuses on designing and testing digital tools to promote online resilience and social and cognitive skills.

He is a recipient of national and international research prizes, consults on curricula and educational interventions nationally and internationally, is a member of a number of academic bodies, and is a Senior Research Fellow at East China Normal University (Shanghai Municipal Institute for Lifelong Learning). In 2011 he was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, and from 2014 until 2024 was Aotearoa New Zealand’s inaugural Chief Education Scientific Advisor.