Archaeology programme, University of Otago

13/05/2026

Everything is better when shared with a friend, and that includes doctoral study.

25/04/2026

Charles Radclyffe and Zac McIvor recently hosted our Māori and Pacific Students for a pottery making workshop, practicing some of the ancestral techniques that have been used for thousands of years in the central and eastern Pacific. Looking forward to seeing how those pots, sculptures and... mice(?!) turn out after firing!

16/04/2026

We are delighted to welcome Associate Professor James Flexner as the speaker for this year’s Ian Smith Memorial Lecture! James is Associate Professor of Historical Archaeology and Heritage at the University of Sydney and has spent much of his career working on the archaeology and heritage of the Pacific region, including Vanuatu, French Polynesia and coastal Australia.

This year’s lecture will once again be held at Tūhura Otago Museum at 5.30 pm on the 7th of May. If you’re unable to attend in person, it will also be streamed via Zoom. You can register to attend in person or online here: https://otago.zoom.us/meeting/register/HxdeISmmS1S3NQjEj9IsGQ #/registration

The Ian Smith Memorial Lecture is organised in partnership with the University of Otago and with the support of the New Zealand Archaeological Association, the Australasian Society for Historical Archaeology and Tūhura Otago Museum.

03/02/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1MQUo5sL3D/

Mic check, mic check! 🎤

Dream of diving into Austronesian studies but held back by the high costs? The scholarship you need to fuel your research is finally open for applications! What are you waiting for? Apply now! 🫵🏽🥹

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⚠️Important Notice for the 1nd Round Application of the 2026 Austronesian Research Scholarship
Submission deadline: from February 9, 2026, to April 12, 2026

Eligibility:
Applicants must be current bachelor's, master's, or doctoral students in Taiwan or overseas, focused on Austronesian research in language, cultural and environmental studies.
Awards and duration:
1. NTD$20,000 per month for bachelor’s and master’s students, NTD$30,000 per month for doctoral students.
2. The funding period shall, in principle, be a minimum of three months and a maximum of six months.
3. Economy class round-trip air tickets are funded during the awarded period.

Application submitted to : [email protected]
Attached information:
1. A completed application form
2. A Resume
3. An autobiography
4. A research proposal (Please clearly state the research schedule)
5. An enrollment Letter
6. A transcript of the Last semester
7. Those who come to Taiwan are required to provide a letter of consent from the applicant’s academic advisor at NCCU.
8. Those who travel abroad are required to provide a letter of consent from the applicant's visiting institute or from the academic advisor of said institute.
9. Two recommendation letters (the recommenders, please directly send the letters to the Office Email: [email protected]) The applicants must provide the documents in PDF format.
10. Optional: Attach other supporting documents that may assist in the review.

⭐️❗️【Key Focus for Future Austronesian Studies Fellowship Applications!】❗️⭐️
To advance the core mission of our fellowship—academic exchange and international cooperation—we strongly encourage applicants for the next cycle to prepare their proposals with the following focus:
※Emphasis on Cross-Border Research Mobility: Proposals must include a clear cross-border or transnational component.
International students coming to Taiwan for research.
Domestic students going abroad for research.
Proposals that emphasize transnational academic interaction and connection will be given significant positive consideration during the review process.

※All required documents must be submitted in PDF format (please combine them into a single file).※

Link of application form : https://reurl.cc/Y38oYL
Fellowship Website : https://ofas.nccu.edu.tw/

More information will be announced on our page, so follow us for the latest updates!

27/01/2026

The archaeological community will be deeply saddened to learn of the death of Emeritus Professor Helen Leach on Thursday 22nd January 2026 in Dunedin.

Many people will have been privileged to have been taught by Helen, or to have worked with her. Helen’s remarkable career included her work with Foss Leach at Wairarapa, her fascinating research on the history and archaeology of food, and her trailblazing work as a female academic at Otago University.

In particular her students will remember her warmth and generosity of knowledge and support.

A memorial service is being held in Dunedin which you are warmly invited to attend.

When: Wednesday, February 4th, 5:30pm
Where: Staff Club, 80 Union Place West, University of Otago.

18/12/2025

A great read on some work we have been involved in:

For many Māori, archaeology has a bad name, with treasures removed to museums, stripped of context and spiritual care. Now, as rising seas threaten ancestral places, one iwi is leading digs themselves.

05/11/2025

https://www.otago.ac.nz/news/newsroom/partnership-project-in-aotea-harbour,-waikato-receives-otago-research-grant

Dr Zac McIvor, with the Archaeology Programme at Otago, has received a University of Otago Research Grant (UORG) to continue a collaboration between mana whenua of Aotea Harbour, Waikato on their community-based archaeological exploration of their past to understand their present and prepare for the...

27/08/2025

Awesome report on the Programme's Ko Te Honoka wānaka for Māori archaeology undergrads (teina). The purpose of the wānaka was to help build relationships between teina and tuakana students to encourage teina to follow through to post-grad study.

09/08/2025

Lecturing position being advertised at UWA.

https://www.facebook.com/share/1GRu2zwSig/?mibextid=wwXIfrg