From empire's servant to global citizen : a history of Massey University

When Massey's first students attended lectures in the agricultural college headedby visionary scientists Geoffrey Peren and William Riddet in 1928, their arrival wasa major milestone. New Zealand politicians, academics and farming leaders hadbeen wrangling over what an agricultural college should be and where it shouldbe located for 15 years prior. For a time, the only thing that could be agreed onwas that in order to transform the country's agriculture and help feed the Empire,there did need to be one.Massey brought science to New Zealand farming and created a culture ofresearch rigour. Massey also came early to an international approach, welcomingthe first generation of Colombo Plan students and continuing its research andcontract relationships across the globe.In From Empire's Servant to Global Citizen, distinguished historian ProfessorMichael Belgrave details the academic determination and political will that droveMassey's creation, and the myriad changes across... The vision of two young scientists, Massey University was established in 1928 to bring science to New Zealand's role as Britain's farm. Massey has since become New Zealand's national and a global university, with almost 140,000 alumni spread across 140 different nations. This candid history looks at the university as it weathered war, funding crises, risk-taking expansion and conflict with the government's plans for New Zealand's tertiary sector. Written by distinguished historianProfessor Michael Belgrave, this is a lively look at how an agricultural college grew up to become a leading intellectual centre of excellence.