Hon Jeremy Rockliff, who is also Minister for Primary Industries and Water, as well as holding the Education and Training, and Racing portfolios will be spending three days at Lincoln, from November 9 to 11, where he was awarded a Diploma in Farm Management in 1990.

He is at the head of a group of internationally renowned academics from the University as well as primary industry officials and farming representatives

A central purpose of the visit is the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding to foster international cooperation in education and research with Lincoln, which could include student and faculty exchanges.

The group will be visiting Lincoln University facilities such as the research and demonstration dairy farms, Ashely Dene Farm and the Centre for Viticulture and Oenology (V&O), and will be addressed by a number of Lincoln experts.

The trip will feature a dinner on Tuesday evening on campus, which will be attended by Selwyn Mayor, Kelvin Coe, and will culminate in a visit to the Canterbury A & P show on Wednesday afternoon.