A former Reserve Bank economist is settling into his new role as the University of Auckland business school’s BNZ chair of finance.

Professor David Mayes, former chief manager of the economics department at the Reserve Bank of New Zealand and head of the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research, throughout his career has advised central banks and financial regulators in 15 countries worldwide.

Avondale technology company Senztek saw its sales double last year thanks to its new super-smart energy demand controller.

The new technology allows power companies to improve management of domestic consumption while consumers can plan ahead and save on power bills through better understanding and self-management and control of their individual usage needs.

It took a team of local university students five months to develop software to send educational data to the most remote areas globally via radio waves and to win the national 2010 Microsoft Imagine Cup.

Team OneBeep from the University of Auckland, took the national title following a 15-minute presentation from four finalist teams before a seven-judge panel on Friday evening at the University of Auckland business school.

The University of Auckland is planning to introduce a dedicated paper in forensic accounting as demand grows.

“We have received a lot of requests from students for the course ... and have identified this as a high priority for development,” a university spokesperson said.

The UoA’s plans fall in line with findings from a recent research by a final year student at Unitec Institute of Technology.

The research found that incidents of fraud going undetected could increase further in the current economic climate.

What a coincidence. Having sworn off any more big money campaign promises for her party, Prime Minister Helen Clark turned up at Auckland University’s Tamaki campus to reveal plans for a technology park to which the government has already committed.

And then the Labour Party – a non-executive political party campaigning for election, also headed by Miss Clark – released its technology and innovation policy.

A trans-Tasman fund that will help Auckland University commercialise research has been launched.

The Trans-Tasman Commercialisation Fund will also provide funds for four Australian universities.

Economic Development Minister Pete Hodgson said the Government would contribute $1 million over five years to the $A30 million ($NZ37.94 million) fund.

The state governments of Victoria and South Australia would each contribute $1.25 million over five years.

The fund is backed by backed by Australian superannuation fund Westscheme.