Posted on 8 September 2026
AchievementOpen Polytechnic, New Zealand’s specialist provider of online and distance learning, recently published its annual Research Report for 2025.
The report shows a significant increase in research outputs and activity across all research active kaimahi (staff). It includes a selection of researcher profiles from across the research active kaimahi at Open Polytechnic who collectively contributed to a total of 102 quality assured outputs in 2025.
Senior researchers Dr Shilpa Jain, Dr Mathew Thomas, Dr Jeanette Hastie, and Dr Kate McAnelly, who contributed to a breadth of research activity output and engagement across the organisation, are profiled in the report. The researcher profiles are in the areas of Business and Enterprise, Engineering, Social Work and Early Childhood Education (ECE), respectively.
Open Polytechnic Research Development Leader, Dr Amanda Cossham says, “Research outputs not only increased in number but also in quality and impact. Sustained growth over the past three years illustrates our thriving and supportive research environment. In 2026, the ICDE World Conference hosted in Wellington provided kaimahi with opportunities to present, chair sessions, and review papers, demonstrating scholarly leadership and a willingness to support the research efforts of others.”
Open Polytechnic Executive Director Learning Delivery Andrew McCulloch says, "As learner needs and workforce expectations continue to change, research helps inform our decisions and shape our future direction. The breadth and quality of research undertaken by our kaimahi reflects a strong commitment to generating knowledge that has real-world impact."
Dr Arslan, Senior Academic Staff Member, was one of four recipients of the annual Open Polytechnic research awards, which also included Masoumeh Shiran, Dr Negin Imani, and Dr Neeru Choudhary.
Dr Arslan, who was awarded He manawa tītī, he manawa piharau | Excellence in research or rangahau by an experienced researcher or kairangahau, or research or rangahau collaboration, says his research examines corporate governance, financial technology, sustainability, organisational behaviour, and responsible innovation, with a view to advancing ethical, transparent, and sustainable business practices.
“It considers how governance mechanisms, executive compensation, and emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence and blockchain, shape organisational performance, financial reporting, and long-term value creation.”
In addition to publishing extensively in leading international journals, Dr Arslan also co-edited the Scopus-indexed volume FinTech and Robotics Advancements for Green Finance and Investment (IGI Global Scientific Publishing, 2025), which offers interdisciplinary, international perspectives on how digital innovation is reshaping sustainable finance and green investment.
Dr Negin Imani, Senior Academic Staff Member, was also awarded He manawa tītī, he manawa piharau | Excellence in research or rangahau by an experienced researcher or kairangahau, or research or rangahau collaboration.
She is an interdisciplinary researcher specialising in biomimetic adaptive building design. In 2025, Dr Imani received $999,999 in funding through the MBIE Endeavour Fund Smart Ideas programme for the three-year project, Integrating AI and Additive Manufacturing for Biomimetic Adaptive Building Façades. As Principal Investigator, she leads a multidisciplinary, multi-institutional team of researchers and industry partners from New Zealand and overseas.
Dr Imani says the project investigates adaptive façade technologies at two complementary scales; at the building scale, and the material scale.
"By integrating artificial intelligence, 4D printing, and smart biomaterials, we aim to transform conventional static buildings into adaptive systems that can respond efficiently to changing climatic conditions and occupant requirements in real time."
“What motivates me as a researcher is the opportunity to bring people from different disciplines together to address challenges that no single field can solve alone…"
Dr Imani co-edited the Special Issue Biomimetic Adaptive Buildings in Biomimetics, a Scopus-indexed MDPI journal, bringing together interdisciplinary research on nature-inspired adaptive building technologies.
Dr Neeru Choudhary, Principal Academic Staff Member, was also awarded Te tūnga o te tōtara | Significant contribution to the research and rangahau environment.
Her most recent research titled A systematic review of flexible working arrangements for frontline workforce: Challenges, benefits and implications, explores the importance of flexible work arrangements for the frontline workforce and offers practical and policy-relevant insights.
The article systematically reviews 71 studies to explore the benefits, challenges, and effective strategies related to flexible working arrangements (FWAs) for frontline workers. It synthesises evidence on how flexibility affects retention, productivity, well-being, operational performance, and organisational culture, and identifies practical approaches such as self‑scheduling, digital tools, autonomy, and flexible training.
Dr Choudhary says, "My research is driven by a strong interest in addressing workplace challenges and building meaningful connections with industry. Working closely with organisations helps ensure that my research is relevant, and responsive to current needs which ultimately enrich my teaching and course facilitation."
Academic Staff Member Masoumeh Shiran was awarded He manu hou, he pī ka rere | Achievement by a new and emerging researcher. Her research, Environmental Impact Assessment of Retrofit Strategies for Residential Buildings in New Zealand: Focusing on Carbon Emissions, Moisture Risk, and Overheating, addresses urgent environmental and health challenges in our built environment.
The volume of outputs from individual researchers and contributions to the research environment in 2025 included three books, 49 conference presentations, 15 book chapters, and 50 journal articles, while five kaimahi are journal editors (across eight journals), and 18 contribute as article reviewers, thesis supervisors, or examiners of theses.
Read the annual Research Report 2025 on the Open Polytechnic website.