Te Wānanga o Aotearoa has received its first significant rangahau funding grant and in the process achieved one of the key goals of the newly-released rangahau strategic plan, Te Rautaki Rangahau.

The $60,000 funding from New Zealand’s Māori Centre of Research Excellence, Ngā Pae o te Maramatanga, is for the first of two planned flagship rangahau projects and focusses on te reo Māori.

Rangahau Lead Dr Shireen Maged says the funding was “very pleasing news” as it was a competitive funding process, with TWoA up against other universities and wānanga for funding.

“This is a new space for us and to win the confidence of the Ngā Pae o te Maramatanga Research Committee, senior management and board is exciting and very encouraging.”

TWoA has contracted Dr Acushla Deanne Sciascia (Dee) to lead the work on this project.  Last year Dee collaborated with Te Tira Rangahau and engaged with TWoA kaiako and kaimahi to inform the first phase and initial conceptualisation of the proposal. This year Dee is working on Phase Two of the project, which includes multiple applications for funding. 

Shireen says Dee deserves a special acknowledgement for the successful outcome of this application. 

“The closing date for applications came up unexpectedly and Dee had to submit the application under very tight timeframes. It is a credit to her expertise, work-ethic and capability that we have been successful.”

The funding is part of the ‘Seeding and Scoping New Research Excellence 2016-2018’ fund and is for one year only. The fund supports further development of the rangahau proposal and includes the active support of experts in the field of te reo Māori, such as Professor Wharehuia Milroy and Dr Timoti Karetu.

The funding realises one of the key Innovation Strategic Goals of the Rangahau Strategic Plan, Te Rautaki Rangahau 2015-2019, namely to attract funding for at least two flagship projects that are of significance to Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, Māori and indigenous peoples of the world. 

Shireen says that to have achieved this in the second year of strategic implementation is due to the inspirational vision, commitment and hard work of many people, including Dee, Te Tira Rangahau and Tumuakoranga, Pakake Winiata.