The Herbison lecture is presented at the Annual Conference of NZARE by an invited Education Researcher. It is an honour to be invited to present the lecture and these lectures often feature a topic of current interest in education. The lecture honours Dame Jean Herbison in recognition of her outstanding contribution to education in New Zealand. Click here for more information.

The Judith Duncan Award for Early Childhood Research is given to a NZARE member who has made notable contributions to the field of early childhood education and care through the conduct of high-quality research. Click here for more information.

for Student Research in Early Childhood is given to a current NZARE member who has completed a high-quality masters or doctoral thesis. Click here for more information.

 honours a current NZARE member’s significant contribution to educational research and to the NZARE over an extended period of time. A significant contribution is interpreted as contributing to new knowledge and being an exemplary researcher in the education community in a chosen discipline. First awarded in 1987, the award consists of a citation folio and a piece of original art or craft by a New Zealand artist or craftsperson chosen by the recipient, up to the value of $2000. Click here for more information.

The award recognises a significant educational research project undertaken in Aotearoa by a group of researchers for their contribution to the body of knowledge in educational research. First awarded in 2004, the award comprises a written citation, a taonga and a cash prize of $1000.

In granting this award NZARE welcomes nominations from a wide range of research groups but will prioritise Māori or Pasifika education research projects.  Click here for more information.

The Rae Munro Award honours the outstanding contribution of the late Dr Raeside Munro to educational research and teaching practice. It is awarded annually for an excellent Masters-level thesis by a member of NZARE in an area which has implications for teacher education or classroom practice. It was first awarded in 1996.  The award consists of a written citation and a cash prize of $750. Click here for more information.

In 2017, the Māori Caucus in conjunction with NZARE Council introduced
The Ranginui Walker Award for research in Education written in te reo Māori is given to a current NZARE member who has completed a high-quality doctoral thesis in te reo. The award comprises a written citation in te reo Māori and a cash prize of $1000. Click here for more information.

The award honours Brian Sutton-Smith. Professor Sutton-Smith was awarded the first Education PhD in New Zealand in 1954. The Sutton-Smith Doctoral Award is awarded annually for an excellent Doctoral thesis by an NZARE member. The Award was approved at the 2004 NZARE Annual General Meeting, awarded for the first time in 2006. The award consists of a written citation and a cash prize of $1000. Click here for more information.

The award recognises researchers who have made a significant contribution to Māori education by conducting high-quality research over an extended period of time. In making the award the NZARE Council adopts a broad definition of education and research and judges nominees' work according to the criteria of the disciplines in which they work.  The award was first made in 1998, and comprises a written citation, a taonga and a cash prize of $1500. Click here for more information.

First awarded in 2023, the conferral of Fellowship honours current NZARE members who have: (i) made sustained and outstanding contributions to educational research over a significant timeframe; and (ii) engaged actively in service and contribution to education beyond one’s home institution. It does not require specific contributions to NZARE as an association prior to the award.

The award of Fellowship also confers membership of the NZARE College of Fellows. Membership includes an expectation that College Fellows will contribute to ongoing NZARE capability building and capacity building, to researcher mentoring and development, and will participate in the annual selection and election of Fellows.

Fellows of the New Zealand Association for Research in Education who identify as tangata whenua may instead use the te reo Māori term He Ahurei a Te Hunga Rangahau Mātauranga o Aotearoa. NZARE Fellows are entitled to use the postnominal letters FNZARE.

In exceptional circumstances, non-NZARE members who meet these criteria and expectations may be nominated by an NZARE member for the award of Honorary Fellow. Click here to visit the FNZARE page.