Centres of Asia-Pacific Excellence
Looking for ways to engage with the Asia Pacific region?
The CAPEs offer events, programmes, scholarships, internships, and other opportunities to help you do just that.
What are the Centres of Asia-Pacific Excellence?
The CAPEs are a university-led initiative supported by a consortium of New Zealand’s leading tertiary institutions:
- The University of Auckland
- The University of Waikato
- The University of Otago
- Victoria University of Wellington - Te Herenga Waka
There are three CAPEs focusing on North Asia, Southeast Asia, and Latin America, respectively.
Each CAPE is committed to helping businesses, particularly small and medium enterprises (SMEs), as well as learners, teachers, exporters, and communities to improve their understanding of the Asia-Pacific and its many cultures and languages.
The University of Waikato leads the Education and Māori business strands of work for the CAPES.
What is the purpose of The CAPES?
The CAPEs aim to foster knowledge and to build cultural and economic ties between New Zealand and the Asia-Pacific.
We offer events, programmes, scholarships, internships, and other initiatives to support New Zealand's businesses, schools, communities and students to understand the key countries of the Asia-Pacific region better.
Our activities aim to:
- increase the number of New Zealanders who have appropriate language and cultural skills relating to the Asia–Pacific region
- enhance public awareness of the importance of the Asia–Pacific region
- highlight how the study of Asia–Pacific languages, culture, and society lead to success in the region
- enhance links between New Zealand and the Asia–Pacific region.