What is the most important thing in the world? It is people, it is people, it is people.
He aha te mea nui o te ao?
He tāngata, he tāngata, he tāngata.
We are now in unsettling times that is making every one of us reflect and modify the way we do things. As institutional researchers we all need to continue our professional practice, to pause, reflect and prepare, and not let fear result in unnecessary panic. We must continue to be vigilant, but let’s remain rational and not give rise to hysteria.
We need to look after ourselves, but we also need to care for others. We all need to call on our courageous selves and to not buy into the panic. Exercise common sense and operate from a place of kindness and compassion, while being rational and vigilant. Where we can, we need to maintain some normality, both professionally and personally.
As an Executive Committee, we are strongly committed, as always, to providing events that are safe to all who attend. Currently, we cannot provide that level of assurance. It is with great sadness the AAIR Executive Committee has made the right decision to postpone the 2020 face-to-face AAIR SIG Forum in July, and will make a decision on the AAIR Annual Forum by the end of July.
Although we can’t meet face to face to develop our professional practice, we can still connect in other ways to share and build our practices. It is time to be more innovative than ever and think about how to do things differently. In the coming months, we will be exploring ways to connect and support our institutional research community professionally in other ways than face to face meetings and seminars. If you have any suggestions or ideas for activities or webinars that you have heard about or think would be of value to our members, we welcome hearing from you. Please send ideas to president@aair.org.au.
Sending you all best wishes as we all navigate the uncertain times ahead. Find your bubble as we settle into working from home in isolation.
Kia kaha (Be strong)
Stuart Terry
President, AAIR
Photo of ‘and breathe sign’ by Victor Garcia on Unsplash
Photo of ‘COVID-19 numbers on a mobile phone’ by Brian McGowan on Unsplash
Photo of ‘Don’t Panic pinboard’ by Tonik on Unsplash
Photo of ‘girl with hair towel working from home’ by Anastasiia Chepinska on Unsplash
