The Cook Islands Research Association was founded at a public meeting at the University of the South Pacific on 30 August 2007 attended by 25 interested people.
CIRA’s first annual conference was held at the USP Center in Rarotonga Feb 7-9 2008.
The Association now has over 100 members.
Cook Islands Research Association 
As President of the Pasifika Students at the University of Technology (AUT) Auckland New Zealand, we are so interested to see the work you are doing for our own people and for the future generation.
I have a special meeting with our Cook Islands students who are doing their own research in their own fields. As for me I am doing a reasearch “How do the Cook Islands Maori Early Childhood Education centres maintain the Cook Islands Maori language and culture in Aotearoa New Zealand?” May be our imput will be valuable to your Association in the future.
Meitaki maata. Na te Atua tatou e tauturu mai. Kia orana e kia manuia.
Kia orana Nooapii
My name is Ina Herrmann and I work in the Ministry of Education in Rarotonga. An important priority in our Education Master Plan is to conduct research in education by Cook Islanders for the people of the Cook Islands.
I was at the Ron Crocombe Festschrift-it was a fine tribute to an ICON in the world of academia, and in the history of the Pacific people.
I am interested in your research; given that over three quarters of our population resides in NZ and Australia; this research will be an eyeopner for Cook Islanders in NZ as well as back here in the Cook Islands. I look forward to cmmunicating with you.
Mou te Ko,
Mou te ere
Kia pukuru o vaevae,
Kia mokora o kaki.