Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland recognises te reo Māori is the foundation of Māori culture and identity, and despite it being one of three official languages in Aotearoa New Zealand it remains endangered.

The University has a role to play in preserving and protecting the language and culture, and is committed to doing so in partnership with iwi Māori and the community.

We encourage our whole University community to embrace the commitments  of this first University of Auckland Language Plan for the Revitalisation of Te Reo Māori.

Waipapa Taumata Rau has a history of providing expertise in support of the revitalisation of te reo Māori through the Department of Māori Studies and Te Puna Wānanga over many years.

The University now seeks to build on that contribution into the future.

Led by the Office of the Ihonuku Māori, Pro Vice-Chancellor Māori and with expertise provided by Te Mātanga Reo, our Māori Language Advisory Committee, we have prepared our first formal language plan for the revitalisation of te reo Māori. The language plan outlines how we will implement our Te Reo Māori Policy. The language plan was endorsed by the University in 2019.

The University language plan aligns with the Crown strategy for the revitalisation of te reo Māori by setting three aspirational goals:

• By 2040 50% of staff will have the ability and confidence to demonstrate a basic level of competency in te reo Māori
• By 2024 all existing staff will have participated in professional development for te reo Māori learning and all new staff will be offered a course
• By 2025 all students will have the option of a te reo Māori course in their programme of study

In order to revitalise te reo Māori so that it is a living language used by all of us, we are aiming to raise the status of the language, promote learning of te reo and tikanga Māori and encourage its use by creating opportunities for the language to be seen and heard every day at the University.

New buildings will include bilingual signage and symbols of tikanga Māori, such as the Pou adorning the entrance to the new Engineering Building, Te Herenga Mātai Pūkaha.

Te Taumata Ngaio is the University’s reo Māori capability development programme for all permanent staff and those on a fixed-term contract of 12 months or longer. In addition to the reo options for staff, we also offer Te Akoranga Kairangi, a group learning opportunity which provides a foundational understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi in its historic and modern contexts as well as te ao Māori principles from Taumata Teitei.

Staff can find out more about Te Taumata Ngaio and Te Akoranga Kairangi on the staff intranet.