Auckland computer science teacher Mehwish Hasan has been shortlisted for the international Cambridge Dedicated Teacher Awards.
Ms Hasan, who teaches at ACG Sunderland in Henderson, was selected for the shortlist from 12,000 nominations for the award, which celebrates educators around the world who go above and beyond to inspire and support their students.
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Ms Hasan is the only teacher from Aotearoa on the award’s Southeast Asia and Pacific shortlist, joined by teachers from Australia, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia.
The recognition reflects years of hands-on, innovative teaching that has seen Ms Hasan’s students achieve top honours at the Inspired Builds international robotics competition, competing alongside schools from around the globe. Some of the innovations children have created include:
- A Smart City Rescue Car – a self-driving car system designed to help older people get to the hospital safely and on time
- An automatic plough revolutionizing the agricultural industry
With a background in telecommunications engineering, Ms Hasan draws on real-world applications to make technology meaningful and accessible for students from Year 2 through to Year 6.
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Her robotics programme challenges students to identify genuine problems and engineer solutions using coding platforms, developing not only technical skills but also teamwork, resilience and creative thinking along the way.
“It’s not only about the technology,” Ms Hasan said.
“I have seen life skills built up in the students as well – teamwork, collaboration, leadership, working in groups.
“Through robotics, students develop computational thinking and real-world problem solving. Even if you become a CEO, no one would like to work with you if you don’t have team skills.”
In her role at ACG Sunderland, Ms Hasan is leading the way in responsible AI education, introducing age-appropriate AI concepts from Year 2 and guiding both students and staff to use emerging technology confidently and ethically.
Her work was recently highlighted by Rod Smith, Cambridge’s Global Director, in a LinkedIn article acknowledging her contribution to AI integration in education.
“This year, one nomination in particular has stayed with me.
“Mehwish Hasan is a Computer Science Curriculum Leader at ACG Sunderland in New Zealand.
“Nominated by a colleague, Mehwish is recognised for her commitment to making technology meaningful, inclusive and transformative for her students as she helps young people understand how to use AI and robotics responsibly and ethically.
“What struck me was not the sophistication of the tools her students were using, but the role she played in guiding them.”
Ms Hasan is also a QuiverVision ambassador, recognised for bringing augmented reality into the classroom in a way that has been described as pioneering for New Zealand.
Using the platform, students can interact with 3D models that spring to life on screen, deepening their understanding of complex concepts across science and beyond.
A mentor with SheSharp and a speaker at the SheSharp Google Educator Conference, Ms Hasan is equally committed to encouraging girls into STEM, actively challenging the perception that technology is a male-dominated domain and inspiring her own female students to consider careers in engineering and technology.
