New Zealand has lost a remarkable man with the passing of Sir Ian Axford, Research, Science and Technology Minister Wayne Mapp said today.

"Sir Ian had an outstanding international reputation in astrophysics and space science.

The Royal Society of New Zealand says it is deeply saddened by the death of Sir Ian Axford, a renowned New Zealand scientist.

Professor Janis Swan of the University of Waikato has been appointed to the Marsden Fund Council, Minister of Research, Science and Technology Wayne Mapp announced today.

Incidents such as the recent murder in Hamilton by a patient under psychiatric care inevitably prompt calls for people with major mental health issues to be locked up for good, but Waikato University historian Dr Catharine Coleborne says that's not always the right or most practical solution.

Commenting on last week's release of the 2025 Taskforce report, the NZVCC said it contained recommendations that could potentially assist universities in maximising their contribution to closing the income gap with Australia, see media release: http://www

Two distinguished researchers have been appointed to the Marsden Fund Council. They are Victoria University Professors James Belich and Timothy Naish.

Universities strongly back findings in a report on the economic benefits of publicly-funded research produced by the Government's Chief Science Advisor Professor Sir Peter Gluckman.

The release of the draft Tertiary Education Strategy (TES) for the period 2010-2015 for consultation reveals limited alignment with the nine-point plan contained in the university briefing document to the current Government.

The broad scope of research projects funded through this year's investment from the Mardsen Fund demonstrates the value to society from university research, according to the New Zealand Vice-Chancellors' Committee.

University of Otago researchers have gained more than $18m in the latest annual Marsden Fund round for 25 world-class research projects that push the frontiers of knowledge.