Research Interests
Dr Phillip Borell has won the prestigious University of Canterbury Teaching Medal for 2023.
Throughout his 15 years at UC, Dr Borell has taught in core courses at all levels of the undergraduate curriculum across the Faculties of Arts and Health, including courses on Te Tiriti o Waitangi, Māori and indigenous development, and sport and culture in Aotearoa New Zealand. He has also helped to develop the innovative Te Ao Hākinakina Major for the Bachelor of Sport, at the intersection of his areas of research expertise in sport and te ao Māori. His contributions at the postgraduate level include teaching into Aotahi’s Master of Māori and Indigenous Leadership (MMIL) degree and his mentorship of master’s and doctoral students in Māori Studies, Education, Sport Science, and Criminal Justice.
Despite teaching into large courses across several faculties, Dr Borell is adept at developing a strong rapport with his students. For two years running (2021-2022), he was the winner of the UCSA Faculty of Arts Lecturer of the Year as well as the winner of the Overall UCSA Lecturer of the Year, an unprecedented achievement. Feedback from his courses highlights the respect that his students have for him: “I cannot reiterate more strongly that [Dr Borell] is up there with the best lecturers I have ever encountered at University. He has taken an extremely complex subject and has mastered the ability to teach and communicate it in an extremely effective way.” Another student wrote “Phillip was engaging and passionate,” while a third succinctly declared him a “straight up legend.” Dr Borell credits this in part to his dynamic teaching style, which incorporates pūrākau, guest speakers from the Māori and Pasifika sporting world, and encouragement for students to reflect on their own personal experiences to develop both their critical thinking skills and their ability to engage with whakaaro Māori.
Dr Borell’s engagement with the community also extends beyond the University campus. Through coaching rugby league and his work with The Kutt Kollective, a community gym he co-founded in Wainoni, he supports and mentors rangatahi from Ōtautahi schools and the broader community in developing their physical and mental wellbeing. This mentorship also extends to his students, many of whom he has inspired to follow pathways they may not previously have imagined for themselves.
