Kia ora koutou katoa

Well another year has come to an end and what a year it has been! Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga (NPM) has now completed two years of our current Centre of Research Excellence contract, and as we move into 2018 the next three years is opening up before us - full of new opportunities, exciting projects and ongoing research excellence. 

2017 has included not only the continual development of our important long-term foundational projects, but also a considerable focus on our seed and scope research projects. This research is creating a lot of interest in a number of different fields, and we have no doubt that in the years to come they will provide sound foundations from which a whole host of other research can spring - as was their intention.

In the past year we have continued offering a host of opportunities to our network to further build our research capability, excellence and scholarship, and 2017 was possibly our biggest year ever in this regard. From our Kia Ita and Tohu Puiaki Masters and Doctoral Scholarships (in partnership with Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori), to our Whaia NPM Doctoral Excellence Scholarships, more new Seed and Scope Projects to commence 2018, NPM-Fulbright Graduate and Scholar Awards (in Partnership with Fulbright NZ), Conference Attendance and Knowledge Exchange Grants, Doctoral Bridging Grants, Publication Support Grants, Wāhine Ora: NPM New Horizons for Women Trust Research Award (in partnership with the New Horizons for Women Trust) - we are pleased to have been able to offer so many of these opportunities to our network.

We would like to acknowledge and thank all of our partners in these opportunities, as well as all the applicants, both successful and unsuccessful, and the panels who review and advise. We are looking forward to continuing working together in 2018 to enhance and achieve our collective goals for further celebrating and inspiring the depth and breadth of Māori research excellence.

NPM successfully navigated our way through our CoRE mid-term review a few months ago, with extremely positive feedback from the international review panel. Their comments were encouraging and have provided us with added confidence, reinforcing that we are making the right decisions and focusing on research that will have real impact for our communities and the country as a whole in the years ahead. As always we would like to acknowledge the advice, guidance and contribution of NPM's Board as well as our International Research Advisory Board in ensuring that we remain focused on our vision and mission of Māori leading New Zealand into the future.

There has been an enormous amount of success across our network this past year, among our researchers and also  our 21 research partners at an institutional level. These successes are too numerous to mention here, but they are often best illustrated by the promotions that come through to individual academics as a recognition of their years of hard work. 2017 has seen a number of NPM allied researchers promoted to Professor and Associate Professor, and we would like to acknowledge all of these outstanding scholars for these significant achievements in their careers.

In 2018, we will continue our ongoing research focus on excellence with new collective Research Platforms, we will also be building towards our 8th Biennial International Indigenous Research Conference, which is once again being held in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland from 13 - 16 November. We have an exciting programme planned, with outstanding keynotes already confirmed as well as four days of events and presentations that we are sure will engage and inspire. For more information on the conference please visit the conference site here. Note early-bird registrations are also now open here, so don't miss out!

We would like to thank you all for your support throughout 2017. The NPM secretariat works hard to fulfill all of their duties to the wider network and keep the centre running smoothly, and we always enjoy the chance to engage with you all and greatly appreciate the ongoing messages of support, encouragement and appreciation that come our way. And as 2018 begins, we look forward to further nurturing these relationships and friendships over the coming 12 months.

Wishing you a safe and relaxing summer with whānau and friends.

Noho ora mai rā, nā
Professor Jacinta Ruru & Professor Linda Waimarie Nikora on behalf of the Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga Research Leadership Team and Secretariat