The detail

At present, New Zealand educational institutions maintain only small coastal marine research centers. The Leigh Marine Laboratory has been the hub of The University of Auckland's Faculty of Science marine science research and education programmes since it welcomed its first students in 1962. In the succeeding years, 350-plus graduate and postgraduate students have helped forge an international reputation in marine conservation and sustainability.

In 2008, the University established the South Pacific Centre for Marine Science at Leigh (SPCMS) to recognize our aspirations to create a fully comprehensive marine science programme, and to fulfill our marine stewardship responsibilities in the wider South Pacific context. The SPCMS is in an ideal position to become a leading academic and research center within New Zealand and the Pacific in marine science.

We see a real need to lift marine research and teaching to reflect the importance and potential of our region's marine environment. The country already has an international profile for marine conservation and sustainability. Our vision at The University of Auckland is to expand this capability across the full marine research spectrum and to further develop the University's contributions to these areas of national and international concern.

The development of the South Pacific Centre for Marine Science, based at the Leigh marine laboratory, is key to this vision.