Victoria University of Wellington

Despite the proliferation of equity and diversity plans and policies that have been established in universities across New Zealand over the past 25 years, Māori academic staff make up only a very small proportion of the nation’s academic workforce (6%) and the proportion of Pacific academic staff is even smaller (2%).

Led by Dr Rawinia Higgins and Associate Professor Poia Rewi, this research investigates how Te Reo Māori supports economic development, cultural identity, and social cohesion. It focuses on increasing language participation and fluency, while deepening understanding of the language’s value across diverse contexts to strengthen revitalisation efforts and inform future language strategies.