Te Wānanga o Aotearoa is undergoing a major organisational transformation under CEO Evie O’Brien, aiming to realign its structure to better serve tauira and communities.
The wānanga will disestablish around 60 non-kaiako roles—about 4% of its workforce—with a focus on retaining and redeploying affected kaimahi.
O’Brien says the changes are part of a wider digital transformation and strategic plan, Te Pae Tawhiti 2030, designed to future-proof Māori education.
“Teaching and learning remain absolutely central to our organisation’s focus, and our priority is about ensuring that those kaiako are supported and the necessary ways moving forward. Not just in terms of the people skills that we have, but this is preparing our organisation for a major digital transformation program that’s currently underway, that we’ll see the benefits of in 2026,” says O’Brien.
The redesign includes leadership changes, redeployment support, and a renewed focus on mātauranga Māori visibility.
