Should academics still be flying all over the world to conferences?

As borders reopen and New Zealanders return to the skies, a new report is pushing for a rethink on university staff travel.

Overseas travel and academia often go hand in hand. Academics are expected to attend conferences and present their work overseas to help boost their university's ranking or secure research funding.

But staff air travel accounts for about a third of the tertiary sector's carbon emissions and many universities have set ambitious reduction targets.

So how can the need to reduce emissions be balanced with career-driven pressure to travel?

Dr Sal Lampkin heads up the Australasian Universities Air Travel Consortium and her report looks at staff travel at Massey University where she works.

She joins Kathryn to discuss how universities and staff can reimagine the need for frequent flying.