Source: New Zealand Government
I am very pleased to open the redeveloped George Forbes Building at Lincoln University.
The original building was opened by Governor-General Viscount Cobham on 11th August 1960. He inherited Viscount Cobham from his father but his birth name was actually Charles Lyttelton, Lyttelton being named after his great grandfather.
The building has undergone significant changes since then that have made it a notable landmark in the area.
This latest development creates a vibrant new student hub, which will contribute to a world-class campus.
I know Lincoln has a strong focus on its students, both in terms of their campus experience but also a commitment to supporting their success in study and moving into employment.
This space demonstrates your focus on your learners and their future, by providing a mix of areas for relaxation and recreation, as well as places to work and collaborate with others.
And collaboration is one of the hallmarks of the university.
We can see it today in your strong domestic and international partnerships in research and teaching.
An excellent example is Bioprotection Aotearoa, a Centre of Research Excellence that features a collaborative partnership of 11 universities and CRIs to train the next generation of bioprotection researchers. It also delivers pioneering, multi-disciplinary research to protect our productive and natural landscapes from pathogens, pests and weeds in a warming climate.
Scientists from Lincoln along with Plant & Food Research have contributed to the discovery of a new gene – the PAR gene – that will make it possible to produce seeds from crops that are genetically identical to the mother plant, without pollination. This was done with scientists in the Netherlands and Japan, and it is expected to lead to major innovations in plant breeding.
You also have a strong history in commercial collaboration. The New Zealand Agricultural Engineering Institute (NZAEI) established in 1965, now Lincoln Agritech, has a history of finding practical engineering solutions to agricultural issues, supporting sustainable production. That contributes social, environmental and economic benefits to the community but also to your researchers and helps maintain the university’s reputation as a partner in innovation.
It’s not an exaggeration to say that Lincoln has been making vital contributions to our country and to the wider world, in agriculture, horticulture and viticulture, for nearly 150 years. That’s quite an achievement and something to be proud of.
Your focus on the agricultural sector has positioned you well in our nation’s economy and helped build our reputation as an agricultural innovator, as well as a successful and reliable supplier of high-quality food and associated technologies.
These are some of the things that place this small university in the top 150 for agriculture and forestry, according to the QS World University Rankings.
It is also in the top 150 for hospitality and leisure, another significant industry for economic growth, and one that relies for much of its appeal on the quality of our rural environments and the products that are so important to this country’s economy.
I know that you have a long-term plan which is driving the shape of the campus, with both new and redeveloped facilities.
With Plant & Food Research and Landcare Research across the road, we have a hub of research excellence that is important to New Zealand’s agricultural future.
These combine to make Lincoln an attractive place to study. You have rapidly rebuilt your domestic and international student population, and achieved a position of financial sustainability while continuing to be recognised as a leader in research for the land-based sectors.
Keeping all of your achievements in mind, it gives me great pleasure to turn to the opening of this new development and the opportunities still to come.
I want to thank a great-grandson and namesake of George Forbes, who provided very helpful information on his history. I know he was invited today and I hope he is here.
The Right Honourable George William Forbes was MP for Hurunui from 1908 to 1943 and Prime Minister from 1930 to 1935. He was also the first leader of the National Party.
Before that he was farmer in Cheviot – on his farm called Crystal Brook – which he farmed until his death. He had a keen and enduring interest in the industry throughout his political career, and he regularly attended agricultural events here at Lincoln.
The George Forbes Memorial Library was developed in recognition of his advancement of the interests of Canterbury Agricultural College, as it was then, in the mid-1920s, when plans for Massey Agricultural College were underway.
The library has moved but the building retains his name. It is now the new entry point to the university.
For learners just starting their tertiary education journey, this will be a place of welcome and connection with each other and the studies that will support their success in years to come.
Many Lincoln alumni have gone on to play, and continue to play, prominent roles in New Zealand life. There is an impressive list of scientists, All Blacks and business leaders, as well as politicians and media personalities, who have passed through these halls. There are a few international leaders in there as well.
Lincoln was a key part of their leadership journey.
That’s as it should be. We expect our tertiary institutions to produce leaders in all areas – science, arts, public service, sports, community and commerce.
I believe George William Forbes would be proud and pleased with this place and the contribution Lincoln is continuing to make to New Zealand, as well as the continuing association of his name with the university.
Thank you Chancellor and Vice Chancellor for your continuing efforts, and congratulations to you and the university community on this occasion.
I now take great pride in officially declaring the George Forbes Building open.
Nō reira, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa.
