Creating our Pacific Strategy

Our work on creating Waipapa Taumata Rau’s first Pacific Strategy in 141 years is in the early stages of development. Our aim is to create a ground-breaking and transformational Pacific Strategy, that mobilises Taumata Teitei. The Pacific Strategy will be developed with a strong Pacific lens to ensure that it reflects our commitment to our Pacific communities, and responds to their needs, values, aspirations and experiences.   

Led by Pro Vice-Chancellor Pacific Professor Tiatia-Siau, a project team, steering committee and working group have been established. The working group brings together representatives from across the University’s faculties, service divisions, student associations and the Office of the Pro Vice-Chancellor Māori.

The project has three phases of activity to help us arrive at a draft strategy by the end of the year. 

Discovery and analysis 

Our first step is to understand what we already know. We have created targeted workstreams to dive more deeply into areas including shifting the dial for students, Pacific staffing, Pacific-led research and alumni/donor engagement. 

Engagement  

Engagement will take place from early September until the end of October. To help us with community engagement, Elika Consulting Group (ECG) will be supporting us in gathering insights from a cross-section of Pacific communities across different industry and community groups. 

Creating our Pacific Strategy  

In the final stage of the project, we will bring together all of these insights, ideas and learnings into an innovative and forward-thinking strategy for the next five years that inspires positive change by setting a powerful example of inclusivity and community-driven development for Aotearoa New Zealand. 

In developing the Pacific Strategy, we need to understand what is important to our people, where we are now, what works, and where we could or should be in the future.  

Our plans for engaging with staff, students and alumni are currently taking shape. We want to make sure we balance the call on colleagues’ limited time in this busy period and we will be working through existing channels whenever possible.

Should you or your colleagues have an opportunity coming up where we could share an update on the project and gather your insights and feedback, please email us on pvcpacific@auckland.ac.nz.