Rate My Professor Tofilau Nina Kirifi-Alai

Tofilau Nina Kirifi-Alai is the Head of Pacific Community Engagement, known as Tula Malae, at the University of Otago's Auckland Centre. Originally from Samoa, she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Women’s Studies and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Auckland. During her time there, she served as Women’s Rights Officer at the Auckland University Students’ Association, was a founding member of the Pacific Island Students’ Association, and acted as President of the Auckland University Pacific Alumni Chapter. She later completed a Master of Indigenous Studies at the University of Otago in 2021.

In 2002, Kirifi-Alai took a temporary 18-month position as Manager of the Pacific Islands Centre at the University of Otago, relocating her family from Auckland to Dunedin; she held the role for more than 18 years until 2020. In this capacity, she established a strong Pacific presence on campus, guided and supported Pacific students and their families, and helped position the University of Otago as the top institution in New Zealand for Pasifika student success. She chaired the Association of Pasifika Staff in Tertiary Education from 2020 to 2022 and was re-elected for a further term. Kirifi-Alai has facilitated scholarships for staff from universities in Samoa and Fiji to pursue professional development at Otago and supported Pacific tertiary institutions regionally. In recognition of her contributions to education and the Pacific community, she received an Honorary Queen’s Service Medal in the 2023 New Year Honours. Her scholarly work includes co-editing Su’esu’e Manogi: In Search of Fragrance (Huia Publishers, 2018) and contributing to publications such as “Developing a health workforce from an underserved population in New Zealand” (2011) and “Strengthening Health Research Capacity From Within Samoa” (2011).