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As the Tertiary Education Commission is set to cut funding for the country’s only Maori research centre of excellence, an academic couple who have encouraged hundreds of Maori into research careers have won international recognition.
Linda Tuhiwai Smith and Graham Hingangaroa Smith have been made Fellows of the American Educational Research Association in recognition of their contribution to educational research, especially in relation to indigenous education.
Linda Smith, who was the founding joint director of Nga Pae of Te Maramatanga, is Professor of Education and Maori Development and Pro-Vice Chancellor Maori at Waikato University.
Distinguished Professor Graham Smith is chief executive of Te Whare Wananga o Awanuiarangi.
They are the only New Zealanders on a list of 22 international scholars to be inducted into the 2014 class of the research association.
Graham Smith was the first teacher of a kura kaupapa Maori immersion school, taking leave without pay for a year to model the concept.
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