Funding boost for visiting chair in strategic studies
Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington’s Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences is delighted by news of further funding from the Garfield Weston Foundation to the Sir Howard Kippenberger Visiting Chair. Their gift pays homage to the esteemed Major General Sir Howard, while ensuring a lasting discourse on international affairs.
The Visiting Chair was established in 2006 through generous philanthropic support from the Garfield Weston Foundation and the late Mary Weston’s keen desire to honour her father’s achievements.
It allows a leading international scholar to travel within New Zealand stimulating debate and discussion with students, academics, government and business leaders, and the wider community and giving the much-anticipated Sir Howard Kippenberger public lecture.
Major General Sir Howard Kippenberger was one of New Zealand's most distinguished and courageous soldiers. He is widely admired and respected as a World War II battlefield commander who was also an eminent scholar and strategist. According to the proclamation for his Honorary doctorate from the University of New Zealand, “he could wield the pen as well as the sword.”
‘Kip’ as he was fondly called by his men of the 20th Battalion, won a prize for an essay about New Zealand’s defence when he was just 13 years old. Having lived through two World Wars, he returned to educate New Zealanders on the costs of war. He served as President of the New Zealand Returned and Services’ Association and oversaw the production of 23 volumes of New Zealand official war histories.
Sir Howard’s daughter Mary Weston CBE, initially donated to the University’s Electronic Text Centre’s project to digitise these histories.
Promoting public understanding of regional and international security challenges and debating how best New Zealand can respond is a key focus for the Centre for Strategic Studies. The prestigious Chair has been held by twelve of the world’s leading scholars on these topics from Asia, Europe, Australia, and the United States.
A highlight is the Sir Howard Kippenberger public lecture, which this year Professor Alastair Iain Johnston from Harvard University presented on Identity, race, and US-China Conflict.
Vice-Chancellor Professor Nic Smith shared in his introduction what an enormous asset the Visiting Chair is for the University.
“There is nothing like it across New Zealand or Australia and it has hosted some of the very best and most eminent scholars in international affairs.
These discussions are of substance, of relevance, and speak to the core role of Te Herenga Waka as an institution today.”
Professor David Capie, Director of the Centre for Strategic Studies says the centre are grateful for this generous contribution in honour of Sir Howard Kippenberger’s legacy.
"As we enter a post-COVID environment with evolving geo-political tensions, it is vital for a small open democracy like Aotearoa New Zealand to understand the impact of regional and international security issues."