Themes

Future society | Human potential | Navigating change | Informing policy

We focus on how society is impacted by rapid social, technological, economic, environment and geopolitical change. Our work spans four broad themes – future society, human potential, navigating change and informing policy.

Future society

Society is changing rapidly, challenged by huge demographic change such as ageing populations and growing ethnic diversity, climate change and new technologies. Democracy is under threat by increasingly pervasive disinformation. Our work aims to address social cohesion and societal resilience and we're developing new democratic tools to encourage better public decision making.

More about Future society

speech

08.11.2024

Academic Freedom

Social cohesion & resilience

update

18.10.2024

Trust in the police: Mark Evans to lead key research

Social cohesion & resilience

View of Flax plants by the coast, with the sun rising and backlighting the plants

media release

25.09.2024

Citizens to help make decisions on land use

Democratic innovation

Human potential

Healthy people are the building blocks of healthy societies. How can we support our children to develop and thrive? How do we educate people to live in a rapidly changing society? How do we support our young people with their mental health?

More about Human potential

Close up shots of documents clipped together and stack on top of each other, on a workers desk.

perspective

07.11.2024

Mental health challenges need evidence, not ego

Youth mental health

update

25.10.2024

Play research highlighted during Play Week

Wellbeing

update

24.10.2024

Government funds food for additional 10,000 children in ECE

Wellbeing

Navigating change

Society is in an unstable state facing climate change and other sustainability risks. Technology is driving rapid social and other change which in turn induces fear and anxiety. In our fast paced world, how do we address and adapt to the changing information environment, new technologies and sustainability challenges ahead? How does New Zealand maintain our relevance to the world?

More about Navigating change

update

29.10.2024

Science diplomacy and the rise of technopoles

Technology futures

speech

30.08.2024

The day the news dies - Raising the Bar event

Information environment

Neon Theme Visualization of Circuit Board CPU Processor

event

20.08.2024

Public lecture: Technology and geopolitics in 2024

Technology futures

Informing policy

We inform policy to help to create conditions for society to thrive. We act as knowledge brokers by gathering evidence from multiple disciplines and domains and providing in useful formats for policy makers or civil society to make better decisions. We also study the science-policy-community interface to enhance how evidence is used in public decision making. Koi Tū is home to the International Network of Government Science Advice secretariat and the President of the International Science Council.

More about Informing policy

Group of business people sitting in a line at a panel.

speech

21.11.2024

Opening remarks to the World Science Forum 2024, Budapest

Science diplomacy

Flags of UN and EU stand in European council Building at Brussels, Belgium.

speech

21.11.2024

Advancing science diplomacy through the International Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development

Science diplomacy

speech

08.11.2024

Academic Freedom

Social cohesion & resilience

Our themes