CALL FOR INTERNSHIP PROJECT PROPOSALS FROM SUPERVISING NPM RESEARCHERS
The Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga Māori (NPM) Futures Programme supports promising Māori students interested in pursuing a career in research to work under the mentorship of a senior Māori researcher.
The New Horizons Summer Internships award assists Māori students enrolled at a NPM tertiary education partner entity to work under the supervision and guidance of a NPM Māori researcher based at any NPM partner entity, in order to gain research experience and increase their research skills. Interns will participate in the online NPM Māori Futures programme during the tenure of their award to support their research skills development.
The Borrin Legal Summer Internships invite proposals from legal scholars based at our partner entities to host a Māori summer research intern. This internship supports Māori students with a strong interest in law, justice, and social equity to develop advanced research skills under the guidance of an expert Māori legal researcher. Projects must have a strong legal focus, ideally addressing justice, rights, equity, or the role of law in Aotearoa New Zealand; align with the Borrin Foundation’s vision for a just, inclusive, and rights-respecting society. Contribute to NPM’s mission to create the foundations for flourishing Māori futures.
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SUPERVISOR PROJECT ELIGIBILITY
Any NPM researcher (supervisor) based at a NPM Partner entity can submit a proposal to host and supervise an intern. Projects must demonstrate scholarly excellence, societal relevance, and alignment to the NPM Matakitenga research programme.
INTERN ELIGIBILITY
Māori pre-doctoral students enrolled at a NPM tertiary education partner entity in 2026 who are genuinely interested in advancing their skills in Indigenous development and research.
Students can be enrolled in upper-level undergraduate (Bachelor) or post-graduate (Master) degree programmes.
DURATION
10 internships will be available for the December 2027 - February 2027 summer period.
VALUE
$7,500 NZD per award, paid in two instalments directly to the intern.
CLOSING DATE
Supervisor internship project applications are due Friday 19 June 2026, 5.00pm
APPLY ONLINE
Please use the link at the bottom of this page when it becomes available.
CONTACT
APPLICATION PROCESS
There are three stages to developing and awarding an internship.
1. Call for Internship proposals from NPM researchers
The internship proposal is for a research activity usually associated with a larger project or
programme of research being led by the applying researcher. It is not recommended that a
student conceive and conduct their own research project due to the short period of the internship. The focus of an internship research activity should be aligned with the NPM Matakitenga research framework.
A research activity might include: a literature review, designing a survey, assisting with data collection, analysis of an existing data set, or engaging in a collaborative academic writing exercise. The proposed research activity should be achievable within a ten-week period during the university summer holiday break. The researcher who submits a proposal will provide supervision and support to the intern. Where students will assist with data collection, ethical approval must be received prior to the internship commencing, with a copy submitted to NPM.
2. Internship proposal selection
Following receipt of proposals, suitable internships will be advertised to Māori students on the Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga website and through social media channels from 29 June 2025.
3. Students apply for available internships
Any student enrolled at an NPM tertiary education partner entity may apply for an advertised summer internship. Internships are competitive and for this reason we ask student applicants to indicate their first, second and third choice of internship projects.
Once we receive student applications, we determine the best match between advertised project and student interests. We then recommend the best match of student(s) to the supervising researcher. Once confirmed, the intern is expected to begin their internship any time after the conclusion of the university exam period but no later than the week starting 30 November 2026.