From Empire’s Servant to Global Citizen

When Massey's first students attended lectures in the agricultural college headed by visionary scientists Geoffrey Peren and William Riddet in 1928, their arrival was a major milestone. New Zealand politicians, academics and farming leaders had been wrangling over what an agricultural college should be and where it should be located for 15 years prior. For a time, the only thing that could be agreed on was 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 of research rigour. Massey also came early to an international approach, welcoming the first generation of Colombo Plan students and continuing its research and contract relationships across the globe. In From Empire's Servant to Global Citizen, distinguished historian Professor Michael Belgrave details the academic determination and political will that drove Massey's creation, and the myriad changes across its history. It's a candid account of one of New Zealand's most progressive and entrepreneurial universities.

When Massey’s first students attended lectures in the agricultural college headed by visionary scientists Geoffrey Peren and William Riddet in 1928, their arrival was a major milestone. New Zealand politicians, academics and farming leaders had been wrangling over what an agricultural college should be and where it should be located for 15 years prior. For a time, the only thing that could be agreed on was 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 of research rigour. Massey also came early to an international approach, welcoming the first generation of Colombo Plan students and continuing its research and contract relationships across the globe.
In From Empire’s Servant to Global Citizen, distinguished historian Professor Michael Belgrave details the academic determination and political will that drove Massey’s creation, and the myriad changes across its history. It’s a candid account of one of New Zealand’s most progressive and entrepreneurial universities.