Raising the Bar Christchurch 2025

Raising The Bar
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In September 2025, Raising the Bar and the University of Canterbury hosted 20 talks in 10 Christchurch venues, filling the city with ideas and conversation for one unforgettable night. The recordings are now available for everyone to enjoy.

  1. 11/05/2025

    Are You Educated? Or Have You Just Been Schooled? - By Joce Nuttall

    Joce Nuttall, Professor of Education and Executive Dean at the University of Canterbury, discusses the difference between education and schooling and why it matters. She explores how governments’ focus on job-ready skills and lack of trust in teachers may be shifting schools away from true education, and what this means for society.

    31 min

  2. 10/01/2025

    Power, Politics, and Profit: The High-Stakes Game of Global Business - By Anna Earl

    Anna Earl, Senior Lecturer at the University of Canterbury Business School, discusses how multinational corporations respond to sanctions and continue international trade. Drawing on her research, she highlights how firms adapt, leverage networks, and navigate the political game to protect profits in global business.

    15 min

  3. 10/01/2025

    Chasing the Universe’s Explosive Secrets - By Jenni Adams

    Jenni Adams, Professor of Physics at the University of Canterbury, discusses how scientists are using the IceCube Neutrino Observatory buried deep in Antarctic ice to study ghost-like particles called neutrinos. She explains how these elusive messengers from exploding stars and black holes are helping us unlock some of the universe’s biggest secrets.

    41 min

  4. 10/01/2025

    Richer Lives, Not Just Richer Economies - By Stephen Hickson

    Stephen, Lecturer in Economics and Finance at the University of Canterbury, discusses why economic growth matters for more than just wealth. From dramatic gains in global life expectancy to broader measures of human flourishing, he examines how growth underpins better health, education, and living standards worldwide.

    21 min

  5. 10/01/2025

    When the World Pulls Back: Navigating Globalisation in Reverse - By Kuntal Das

    Kuntal Das, Associate Professor of Economics and Finance at the University of Canterbury, discusses the unraveling of globalisation. He examines the rise of tariffs, trade wars, and “de-risking” strategies, and what these shifts mean for countries like New Zealand that depend on global trade in an increasingly uncertain world.

    43 min

  6. 10/01/2025

    Bats: Saviours of the Planet or Harbingers of Death? - By Stuart Parsons

    Stuart Parsons, Professor of Biological Sciences and Executive Dean of Science at the University of Canterbury, discusses the myths and realities of bats. He explores their role in disease transmission, their importance as pollinators and pest controllers, and why these misunderstood creatures are vital for healthy ecosystems — and even tequila.

    44 min

  7. 10/01/2025

    How Transformative Learning Enhances Students and Society - By Billy O’Steen

    Billy O’Steen, Associate Professor of Education at the University of Canterbury, discusses how transformative learning shapes students and communities. Drawing on ideas from John Dewey, Kurt Hahn, and Terry Borton, as well as his own work with the Student Volunteer Army after the Christchurch earthquakes, he explores how powerful experiences can change the way we think, act, and contribute to society.

    20 min

  8. 10/01/2025

    Space Tourism: Going Where No One but Katy Perry Has Gone Before - By Ricky Lee

    Ricky Lee, Senior Lecturer in Law at the University of Canterbury and an expert in space law, discusses the rise of commercial space travel. From rockets launched by SpaceX, Blue Origin, and Virgin Galactic to New Zealand’s role in this new frontier, he explores how close we are to space holidays, what the experience might deliver, and whether the investment is really worth it.

    46 min
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In September 2025, Raising the Bar and the University of Canterbury hosted 20 talks in 10 Christchurch venues, filling the city with ideas and conversation for one unforgettable night. The recordings are now available for everyone to enjoy.

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