University Happenings

Learning about land and environment

Richard Hemi

The current publication theme of land and environment is very fitting for the School of Surveying heading into 2023 as we are about to introduce a new paper into the first year of study – SURV130 People, Place and the Built Environment. The paper is one of the outcomes from our recent curriculum review and will now form one of our two, first-year introduction papers for students enrolled in the Bachelor of Surveying, and BScs in Land Planning and Development and Surveying Measurement.

While some of the content of this new paper is reshuffled from some former BSurv papers, it will introduce the connection between people and land earlier in the teaching than previously, and in doing so it sets out to highlight the importance of this relationship. The paper will include some foundation learning objectives critical to the following years of study, such as:

Ÿ Appreciating Māori values and attitudes to land and investigating the meaning, significance, relevance, and effects of the

Treaty of Waitangi. Ÿ Being able to identify the main elements of sustainability and the science of climate change. Ÿ An ability to undertake a sustainability assessment of a land development project. Ÿ Understanding engineering systems that support the built environment.

At the same time this papers aims to foster the broader graduate attributes of critical thinking, cultural understanding, environmental literacy, interdisciplinary perspective among others. This change certainly should enhance students learning later in their courses but will also emphasise the importance of understanding the effects of land development on people, neighbourhood, cultures and the environment.

This seems appropriate in light of future professional expectations of graduates in seeking professional qualifications. Both the Cadastral Licensing Board’s licensing standards, and S+SNZ’s new Land Development Engineering Certification competencies require applicants to possess competency in land development engineering principles, as well as an ability to understand about the provision of safe, stable and sustainable land development.

Some of the core learning objectives also reflect the importance of understanding Māori values and attitudes to land in Aotearoa/NZ. As one of the fundamental professions in the land economy, the surveying industry has a critical role to play in the comprehension and consideration of cultural values with respect to the use and enjoyment of whenua.

Our industry not only needs to understand these values but should strive to lead and build relationships in this area. The School also has a desire to have this connection better reflected in the student body in terms of Māori student numbers.

While new students often come in the first year of study expecting a lot of mathematics and surveying measurement teaching, some are surprised to discover there are other design and literacy expectations, typically required in the learning about land and the environment. The BSurv and BSc in Land Planning and Development courses both contain a significant number of papers in the subjects of engineering, planning, tenure and urban design, and some students really excel in these areas. This was recently highlighted by the final assignment outputs from Urban Design 2, a final-year paper taught by Dr James Berghan. The students were required to explore urban themes including public transport, micro-mobility, water-sensitive urban design, indigenous urbanism, mode shift, or healthy streets and produce a detailed design concept.

The class recently held an end-ofyear gallery where the project posters were exhibited to the whole School and the students were encouraged to share and discuss their work. As the example shown below in a poster by final-year student Joe Reed demonstrates, providing students with an in-depth theoretical knowledge of the relationships between people, land, and the natural and built environment prepares them well for an important element of their professional work to come. •