About the Installation Ceremony Wednesday, June 25 at 10am

Thompson Rivers University (TRU) will formally install Dr. Airini as its fifth President and Vice-Chancellor during a public ceremony on Wednesday, June 25. The TRU Board of Governors warmly invites all faculty, staff, students and members of the university community to attend the formal installation of Dr. Airini as TRU’s fifth President and Vice-Chancellor.

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The installation of a university president is a moment of institutional significance — a formal ceremony that recognizes the appointment of a new leader and reaffirms the values and responsibilities of the office. Thompson Rivers University will mark this occasion with the installation of Dr. Airini as its fifth President and Vice-Chancellor.

As with previous installations at TRU, the ceremony for Dr. Airini will honour the past and present while looking ahead to the university’s future. The occasion serves not only as a formal handover of responsibility but also as a collective reaffirmation of TRU’s role in the lives of students and the communities it serves.

A presidential installation is a public acknowledgment of a new president’s appointment to office. It is a ceremonial tradition common to universities worldwide, rich in symbolism and academic heritage.

The ceremony includes:

  • An oath of office, administered by the Chancellor, in which the new president formally declares their intention to uphold and honour the duties of the Office of the President and Vice-Chancellor.
  • The exchange of regalia, where the president removes the academic robes of their alma mater and is dressed in the official robe of TRU by the Chancellor. This ritual marks their formal acceptance into the university’s leadership lineage.
  • Greetings from other institutions, presented in person or sent by mail, which become part of the university’s historical record.
  • Words of welcome and celebration from Elders, faculty, students, and honoured guests.

The installation is held in the presence of TRU’s faculty, staff, students, alumni, Board of Governors, Senate, and community members — and often includes visiting presidents from other universities and distinguished guests.

Dr. Airini's Academic and Professional Background

  • Holds a BA and MEd from the University of Canterbury, an MBA from Massey University, and a Diploma in Teaching from the former Christchurch Teachers College. She completed a certificate in te reo Māori from Te Wānanga o Aotearoa
  • Holds a PhD in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of British Columbia.
  • Served as TRU’s Dean of the Faculty of Education and Social Work (2014–2018), where she helped launch the internationally renowned Knowledge Makers program, and the pan-university Coyote Project.
  • Most recently, served as Provost and Vice-President Academic at the University of Saskatchewan, a member of the U15 group of Canadian research universities.

In government and international roles, Dr. Airini has contributed to education reform, equity policy, and Indigenous success strategies. She currently advises the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization on global education access and innovation.

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“I come to this role with deep gratitude and a simple intention: to listen well, to serve wisely, and to work beside you to shape the future of TRU.” — Dr. Airini
President and Vice-Chancellor TRU

About Dr. Airini Deeply Committed to Education

Dr. Airini brings a deep commitment to inclusive education, academic excellence, and community service. She came to Canada as an international student, is a national award-winning educator and researcher, Fulbright Scholar, and a leader with experience across academic, government, and global agencies.

Academic and Professional Background
Dr. Airini

At the core of Airini’s vision

People

Recognizing the contributions and potential of students, faculty, staff, and community partners.

Purpose

Ensuring TRU remains a place where education transforms lives, where ideas grow, and where everyone belongs.

Possibility

Leading TRU into its next chapter with openness to change, confidence in its identity, and respect for its roots in Secwépemcúl’ecw.

Thompson Rivers University campuses are on the traditional lands of the Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc (Kamloops campus) and the T’exelc (Williams Lake campus) within Secwepemcúl’ecw, the traditional and unceded territory of the Secwépemc. The region TRU serves also extends into the territories of the St’át’imc, Nlaka’pamux, Nuxalk, Tŝilhqot'in, Dakelh, and Syilx peoples.

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