The Cognition Institute, New Zealand’s first independent education research and policy institute, was launched on Saturday.

“Debates in the education sector are too often marked by an over-emphasis on ideology, opinion and prejudice and an under-emphasis on evidence and reason” according to the chief executive of Cognition Education, Dr John Langley. “There is a gap in independent evidence-based thought leadership in the sector and it is time it was filled.

“The Cognition Institute has been formed to fill that gap,” he said.

With involvement from the wider education and community sectors, the Cognition Institute intends to contribute significantly to understanding and practice about how to further improve New Zealand student outcomes.

“Quality commissioned research and policy, complemented by research grants to appropriate people and organisations will then be used to generate new findings and to deepen and broaden New Zealand understanding of policy and practice that works well for teachers and learners ,” said Mary Sinclair, the Cognition Institute’s executive trustee.

“I’m excited that we have this opportunity to make a positive contribution to New Zealand education.”

This process has already started with two thought leader symposia held in Auckland last Thursday and Friday.

Over 120 people representing New Zealand political, policy, research, practice, community and student contexts came together at the symposia. “Participants over whelmingly endorsed the Cognition Institute establishment and proposed plans”, said Mary Sinclair.

The findings and feedback from the symposia will be published on the Cognition Institute’s website www.cognitioninstitute.org which will play a vital role in connecting people from all parts of the sector.

The website is extremely interactive and will provide a forum for people to share their opinions on educational research with the sector, and to relate it to their experiences. It will feature opinion pieces by leading educationalists and have an online process for grant applications. Members can also comment on and discuss current research and there is a library of completed research.

“In time, the website will be a huge resource of educational research from nationally and internationally recognised education thought leaders,” said Mary Sinclair.

The Cognition Institute will also distribute multiple publications each year, with the first two already released in time for the launch. The first publication is a collection of essays on “Tomorrow’s Schools 20 years on...” All authors are very highly regarded in the education sector and the books give a fresh look at important issues in education.

The second is a collection of articles on schooling research funded by the Cognition Education Research Trust (CERT).

“These publications give an overview of the applied research programme currently being facilitated and funded by Cognition, as well as the key opportunities and challenges of the current policy framework for schooling in New Zealand,” said Mary Sinclair.

The Institute is funded through Cognition Education Limited, an independent education services and consultancy provider and New Zealand’s leading education exporter.