May 23, 2014
Ngai Tahu teaches students to work with iwi
The University of Canterbury is starting a new course in July to prepare graduates to work in or with Maori organisations.
Associate Professor Te Maire Tau, the director of the Ngai Tahu Research Centre, says the university needs to prepare graduates for real world situations.
That includes not only working in local or central government agencies or business but for jobs in the growing number of iwi corporates or Maori businesses.
He says it’s particularly relevant to Canterbury, because Ngai Tahu is now the biggest private landowner in the South Island and will have a significant influence on the Christchurch rebuild.
Many businesses in the region will appreciate the need for staff who have the skills to work with Maori.
The course is aimed not just at Maori but at other students who could benefit from an understanding of indigenous economic development and how iwi function historically and as tribal corporations.
More than 900 Maori students are studying at the University of Canterbury.
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