Hon Steven Joyce
Minister of Science & Innovation

Hon Dr Pita Sharples
Minister of Māori Affairs

15 April 2014

$5m investment in Māori-led science & innovation

Up to $5 million over two years will be invested in developing the science and innovation potential of Māori people, resources, and knowledge, Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce and Māori Affairs Minister Dr Pita Sharples announced today.

The 2014 Te Pūnaha Hihiko - Vision Mātauranga Capability Fund investment round aims to develop people and organisations undertaking research in areas that support the four themes of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s Vision Mātauranga policy:

• Indigenous innovation – contributing to economic growth through distinctive science and innovation
• Taiao/environment – achieving environmental sustainability through iwi and hapu relationships with land and sea
• Hauora/health – improving health and social wellbeing
• Mātauranga – exploring indigenous knowledge and science and innovation.

“The Ministry’s Vision Mātauranga Capability Fund is designed to help develop both Māori researchers and the links between Māori and research institutions,” Mr Joyce says.

“This is an important initiative in ensuring strong linkages between iwi, Māori organisations, and the wider science community. It lines up well with our Māori Economic Development Strategy He kai kei aku ringa, which provides a blueprint for a productive, innovative, and export-orientated Māori economy.”

The 2014 round will be the second annual Vision Mātauranga Capability Fund investment round. The first round was announced in December last year.

Developing the skills to build and apply a body of research that supports Māori economic, social and cultural development is crucial to enable advances in wellbeing for Māori and for New Zealand as a whole,” Dr Sharples says.

“This type of research requires developing a workforce of researchers and organisations that are able to support the development and use of ideas and knowledge that address the needs and opportunities of Māori.”

The MBIE Portal opens today for the submission of proposals for this year’s investment round and will close at 12pm on 1 July 2014. Investment decisions will be made by the Deputy Chief Executive – Science, Skills and Innovation and are expected to be announced in late August 2014.

More information on the Vision Mātauranga policy and the 2014 Vision Mātauranga Capability Fund investment round is available at: http://www.msi.govt.nz/get-funded/research-organisations/vision-matauranga-capability-fund/

ENDS

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