History of Tuākana Learning Communities

One of the earliest initiatives based on tuākana-teina relationships was developed in 1971 within the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences through the Māori and Pacific Admission Scheme (MAPAS), where the first student admitted under the scheme was Jennifer Freda Ann Rankin.

A few decades later

In 1991, Emeritus Professor Michael Walker asked a class of undergraduate Māori and Pacific students at the recently opened Waipapa Marae why it was that they felt they needed to stay at the University and feel like they could succeed.

As a result, Tuākana was then launched in the School of Biological Sciences. Professor Walker’s leadership is acknowledged with an award for undergraduate Māori and Pacific students commencing postgraduate study. 

Tuākana Learning Communities gaining traction

In 2001, the University received a Special Supplementary Grant from the Ministry of Education. This grant is now referred to as Tertiary Education Commission Funding (TECEF).

The fund was to provide initiatives and programmes to support the retention and success of Māori and Pacific students from which Tuākana Learning Communities flourished.

At this time, there were 11 undergraduate programmes and two graduate programmes.  

From 2001, this funding was overseen by Te Ara Tautika - Equity Office (formerly Equal Opportunities Office) till March 2019. At this time, the funding and leadership of Tuākana Learning Communities moved to the offices of the Pro Vice-Chancellor Māori and Pro Vice-Chancellor Pacific with the support of the TECEF reference group and Pro Vice-Chancellor Equity.

This change ensured decisions and governance were led by Māori and Pacific for Māori and Pacific students. 

From then to now

The Tuākana programme has developed into a university-wide academic support programme embedded within the eight faculties at Waipapa Taumata Rau.

This is in addition to centrally-led initiatives that are also offered within Te Tumu Herenga | Library and Learning Services. 

The programmes are delivered to both Māori and Pacific learners within the

• Faculty of Arts
• Faculty of Engineering
• Faculty of Business and Economics
• Faculty of Science and Faculty of Creative Arts and Industries

A similar approach was implemented before Tuākana, known as the Māori and Pacific Admission Scheme (MAPAS).

The Faculty of Law offers programmes to complement both student groups Moana-Oceania Academic Initiative (MAI) and Māori Academic Programme (MAP), as do the Faculty of Education and Social Work with Pasifika Success and Te Korowai Atawhai.

The Centre for Pacific Studies offers Vaka Moana to their undergraduate students and Vaka to their postgraduate cohort.

Te Tumu Herenga | Library and Learning Services also offers programmes, including Leadership Through Learning, Te Fale Pouawhina and Te Haerenga: Māori and Pacific Employability Programme