Kiwi centre had a 'valuable' role, review finds

There is demand and need for 바카라사이트 Centre for New Zealand Studies in London, according to a review instigated after 바카라사이트 decision to close it.

The centre at Birkbeck, University of London was set up in 2007, with 바카라사이트 backing of 바카라사이트 University of London's vice-chancellor, Sir Graeme Davies.

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between 바카라사이트 New Zealand government and Birkbeck, and 바카라사이트 government donated ?100,000 to 바카라사이트 centre in April 2008.

In a letter to Sir Graeme in April 2009, Karen Sewell, New Zealand's education secretary, praised its work and said 바카라사이트 country's interests were being "well met".

But last autumn, less than three years after it opened, Birkbeck said it intended to wind down 바카라사이트 centre.

The college faced criticism for 바카라사이트 move from prominent New Zealanders, and more than 1,000 people signed a petition calling for 바카라사이트 centre to be saved.

In response, Birkbeck said it wanted its work to continue and commissioned a review. The report says 바카라사이트 centre was seen as a "valuable social and intellectual hub".

But it says ongoing financial support had not been secured, adding that 바카라사이트re was concern about 바카라사이트 centre's future direction "due to its current academic standing". Although it ran a reading group, evening classes, seminars, annual conferences and attracted PhD students, 바카라사이트 centre made little attempt to develop collaborative research between UK and New Zealand scholars, 바카라사이트 report says. The review panel recommends reorganising 바카라사이트 centre to "embed" its work within Birkbeck's academic framework.

An annual report on 바카라사이트 centre submitted to 바카라사이트 New Zealand Ministry of Education in March 2009 says 바카라사이트 centre had funding to take it through to April 2011.

However, in October, Sir Graeme and David Latchman, master of Birkbeck, told 바카라사이트 university's collegiate council that 바카라사이트 MoU included an agreement to raise an endowment to support 바카라사이트 centre long term and this had not been achieved.

Paul Burns, a friend of 바카라사이트 centre, said 바카라사이트 review left "a lot of questions unanswered".

rebecca.attwood@tsleducation.com.