Surge in number of Māori PhDs at November graduation

Surge in number of Māori PhDs at November graduation

Just over a fifth of the PhDs to be conferred at Massey University’s graduation ceremony in Palmerston North this Friday are by Māori scholars – including two written in Te Reo Māori.

Of 52 PhDs being conferred across three ceremonies, eleven are by Māori, and cover topics in science, horticulture, health, nutrition, education, the environment, iwi history, business and sport. Having two PhD theses in Te Reo Māori conferred in the same ceremony is a record-breaker for the University.

Dr Selwyn Katene, Assistant Vice-Chancellor Māori and Pasifika has noted this record number as being “highly significant for the graduates and their whānau, and for the nation, as their contribution to Māori advancement is immeasurable.”

He says it is evidence that Professor Sir Mason Durie’s goal to achieve a significant increase in doctoral graduates is being realised. “These 11, together with the other 37 Māori women and men who also graduate on this day, make us very proud. We also congratulate all graduates and applaud them for their hard work and commitment.”

Doctoral researchers Hinurewa Poutu (Ngāti Rangi, Te Āti Haunui a Pāpārangi, Ngāti Maniapoto) and Agnes McFarlane (Tūhoe, Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Pikiao, Te Arawa) ) – both to be capped at Ceremony Two for the College of Humanities and Social Sciences – bring the number of PhDs in Te Reo Māori by Māori to a total of eight from Massey. Ms Poutu’s research explored factors that influence teen and youth speakers of Te Reo Māori to use the language beyond school, while Ms McFarlane has researched the oral and contemporary written literature of Tūhoe.

ENDS

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