Thompson Rivers University has named Dr. Airini, an internationally recognized researcher, as its next president and vice-chancellor.
Her five-year term begins July 1st.
Dr. Airini is presently the provost and vice-president Academic at the University of Saskatchewan.
In a release, TRU says she is known for her work on student success, equity and education systems reform. Dr. Airini had also previously served as dean of TRU’s Faculty of Education and Social Work from 2014 to 2021.
“Returning to TRU is both an honour and a responsibility. It’s an enormous privilege to take on this role. We know that TRU became a full university 20 years ago because of this community’s strong vision and advocacy,” she said.
“It is from these roots that this dynamic university is serving the region and quietly yet boldly changing the province and the world. I know first hand that TRU is a genuine force for good, honouring Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc, T’exelc and the Secwépemc Nation. I am excited to serve our communities and to advocate relentlessly for all that is unique and exceptional about TRU.”
Before joining TRU in 2014, Airini was the inaugural head of the School of Critical Studies in Education and associate dean at the University of Auckland, New Zealand. She led Pacific Education at the former Auckland College of Education. A Fulbright scholar, Airini holds adjunct professor appointments in Australia and New Zealand and is a national award-winning researcher and educator in Canada and New Zealand.
She is calling her return to Kamloops a bit of a homecoming. “This means that I’m like a external, internal appointment. In that sense, I do have that experience, but this university has continued to evolve and move forward in exciting ways. So my first priority will be to listen to students, faculty, staff and the broader community. I really want to understand what’s working well and where the pressure points are and where people see opportunity, and that’s going to guide how we shape priorities together.”
“This is a place that is both innovative and responsive. Innovative in the sense of creating initiatives that matter to industry, to the public sector, that provides for for nurses, for apprentices, for scientists to come through with meaningful skills and research. The direction is going to be one of being directly connected to the community and to the needs that this region has, and that means building off the strategic plans that are in place.”
Dr. Airini believes that Thompson Rivers University is in a really good position to be an educational leader in British Columbia given our geographically location of being central, and also the exciting work that is taking lace locally with the partnership with the BC Wildfire Service and continued expansion of health care operation in the Tournament Capital which includes a new cancer care clinic.
“The days ahead, the years ahead, are very exciting. What we do need to do those be very aware of the challenges that the post secondary sector has, and then to build off the courageous work that’s been happening here at the university, and I’ll wait until I’m in the role to speak to specific approaches and focus areas that will help respond to that, but I’m confident that we can find solutions that will reflect truth, identity and responsibilities and really help shape our region and our province in unique and exceptional ways.”
Airini is the author or co-author of more than 100 academic papers, books, chapters and reports, and she has led or worked on research and development projects that have attracted more than $20 million from Canadian and international funders.
