September 29, 2022
Awanuiārangi graduates record number of indigenous PhDs
Whakatane is preparing to host hundreds of graduates and their whanau for Te Wananga o Awanuiārangi’s 30th graduation ceremony.
Chief executive Wiremu Doherty says it’s a bumper presentation, as Covid lockdowns meant in-person ceremonies couldn’t be held for the past two years.
There will be more than 1,600 qualifications conferred, with over 200 granduands attending in person including a possible world-first of 13 graduands who will receive doctorates in Mātauranga Māori and/or Indigenous Studies.
This cohort includes students from Aotearoa as well as two international students from First Nations of Washington State and three from the island of Maui in Hawaii.
“When we look at this institution, not only are we building capability and capacity within New Zealand but we are also doing it in the international market within the indigenous environment which we’re very proud of,” Professor Doherty says.
Tomorrow’s graduation will begin with a pōwhiri at Te Mānuka Tūtahi Marae by the harbour, followed by a gown meets town hīkoi through Whakatane to the main campus.
Today there’s a graduate symposium where doctoral graduands will share their research findings on topics such as wāhine Māori leadership pathways, environmental management for iwi, Māori genetic and genomic research, and barriers to retaining Māori nurses.