Funding for Māori Centre of Research Excellence (CoRE) announced

The government has announced additional funding for a Māori Centre of Research Excellence (CoRE). Beginning on 1 January 2016, Vote Tertiary Education will provide approximately $5 million per annum for a Centre. The additional funding was made available in the 2014 Budget, which boosted CoRE funding by $53 million over four years. (This will allow also funding for three additional CoREs from 2016.)

Existing CoRE funding for the Māori research centre Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga (NPM) ceases in December 2015. The Tertiary Education Commission's decision not to renew Centre of Research Excellence (CoRE) funding to NPM during the last CoRE funding round raised concerns about the marginalisation of Māori research.

The Māori CoRE will be subject to a competitive tender process where Māori academic departments and Māori-led research institutes can bid to host and build on the work of Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga. Ngā Pae o Te Māramatanga will have the opportunity to tender for that CoRE.

The announcement of the funding was welcomed by NPM. Director of NPM Associate Professor Tracey McIntosh, said "This funding allows a critical, yet constructive, rethink of what and how we can best achieve the required goals and vision for our people. The Māori academic community will come together as a collective to take this opportunity to design the best model to move us forward."

"There has been an overwhelming response and support from all corners of the world, when the news that NPM did not make the shortlist for funding in February this year. The support for NPM and Māori Research has had a significant impact and been well and broadly recognised."

Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce said "When Ngā Pae o Te Māramatanga was not successful in the current CoRE round, the Government decided it was important to have a dedicated Māori Centre of Research Excellence as part of our commitment to Vision Mātauranga research and because such a network is completely unique to New Zealand."

The 2013 NPM annual report is publically available on the NPM website, showcasing the research contribution the centre has made in the last year. 

Media:

Further funding supports Māori Centre of Research Excellence, Maori Television, 19.05.2014

Funding for Māori Centre of Research Excellence, Beehive, 15.05.2014

Three more Centres of Research Excellence, Scoop Business, 15.05.2014

The value of and need for Māori Research is validated by the Government, Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga (n.d).