A significant milestone for Māori leadership in health education has been marked at Waipapa Taumata Rau, the University of Auckland, with the appointment of Josephine Davis as the first Māori Head of the School of Nursing. The leadership transition is being hailed as an important step forward for Māori representation, workforce development and health equity in Aotearoa.
The appointment follows the decision by Professor Julia Slark to step down after seven years leading the School of Nursing and return her focus to nursing research, particularly in stroke prevention and patient care. Slark’s departure marks the end of a period of significant cultural transformation within the school, where efforts were made to improve outcomes and create a more inclusive environment for Māori and Pacific students and staff.
The leadership handover took place at Waipapa Marae and symbolises a broader shift occurring across New Zealand’s health and education sectors, where institutions are increasingly recognising the importance of Māori leadership in addressing longstanding inequities.
Davis is widely respected throughout the health sector and was among the country’s first Māori nurse practitioners. She brings decades of clinical experience, leadership and advocacy for Māori health to the role. Her appointment comes at a time when Māori health workforce development remains a national priority, with health providers and tertiary institutions working to increase Māori representation across all areas of healthcare.
During her tenure, Slark worked alongside Māori leaders within the School of Nursing to strengthen cultural safety and embed Te Ao Māori perspectives within teaching and leadership practices. The changes contributed to increased enrolments and improved experiences for Māori and Pacific tauira entering the profession.
The transition also highlights growing recognition of the role nursing plays in addressing health disparities. Nurses remain at the frontline of healthcare delivery across hospitals, primary care, iwi health providers and community health services. Māori nurses, in particular, are increasingly viewed as critical to improving health outcomes and building trust between healthcare systems and Māori communities.
For many in the sector, Davis’s appointment represents more than an individual achievement. It reflects a wider movement towards ensuring Māori voices are present in positions where decisions are made about education, workforce development and healthcare delivery.
The University of Auckland says the School of Nursing is entering a new chapter under Davis’s leadership, one that will continue to build on efforts to strengthen Māori participation and support future generations of nurses.
Meanwhile, Slark’s contribution to nursing education and stroke research will continue. Since arriving in Aotearoa in 2013, she has played a leading role in developing stroke nursing education, helping establish New Zealand’s first specialist stroke nursing programmes and contributing to improvements in patient care nationwide.
As the country continues to grapple with workforce shortages and health inequities, the emergence of more Māori leaders across the health sector is increasingly being viewed as essential to achieving better outcomes for whānau and communities.
For Māori nursing students, health practitioners and future leaders, the appointment of Josephine Davis sends a powerful message that pathways to leadership are expanding and that Māori expertise, knowledge and experience belong at the highest levels of decision-making in Aotearoa’s health system.
Image: Former head of school Professor Julia Slark pictured with Josephine Davis, the first Māori to be appointed Head of School of Nursing at the University of Auckland. Photo: Chris Loufte
