Mensa New Zealand

Mensa New Zealand is a branch of Mensa International, a society for individuals who score at the 98th percentile or above on a standardised, supervised IQ or other approved intelligence test.

Mensa was founded in the United Kingdom in 1946. The New Zealand branch was established in 1966, holding its first meeting in Wellington.[1] As of 2023, there were around 500 members of Mensa New Zealand.[2] One of Mensa New Zealand's youngest members is Alisa Pham, New Zealand's youngest university graduate. New Zealand Mensans often keep their membership private, with one testing officer noting in 2012: "New Zealand is wonderful for gifted athletes or people who are gifted artistically but really we don't do much for people with intellectual gifts". [...] "Being very intelligent is like being very unintelligent. The whole world is made for the average and if you are not average it can be difficult."[3]

In 2024, members were the focus of a New Zealand study into the role of Resource Teachers: Learning and Behaviour (RTLB) in gifted education.[4]

Mensa New Zealand publishes a monthly newsletter, Menzed, for members. It contains letters and articles on many subjects, puzzles, and news about events in New Zealand and overseas.[5] Area coordinators in each region organise meetups for their local members, and national gatherings are held several times a year so that members from all around New Zealand have a chance to connect and enjoy various activities.[5]

References

  1. ↑ "Mensa for top minds". The Press. 28 May 1966.
  2. ↑ Pocock, James. "I crashed an event full of geniuses to try to become one". NZ Herald. Retrieved 18 October 2025.
  3. ↑ Rilkoff, Matt (1 October 2012). "Cheap IQ tests for world intelligence day; Mensa hunting Taranaki brains". Taranaki Daily News. ProQuest 1081314541.
  4. ↑ Hurley, Amanda (2024). The Role of RTLB in Gifted Education [PDF]. RTLB Aotearoa. Available at: https://www.nzrtlb.net.nz/_files/ugd/1b217d_89d2e7b5db224d20aa8239e7d19c424e.pdf. Accessed 24 October 2025.
  5. 1 2 "Mensa New Zealand". Mensa New Zealand Incorporated. Retrieved 18 October 2025.
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