Mātai ako: Te Tiriti o Waitangi in learning and teaching

Abstract

This article examines initiatives within the College of Health at Massey University to embed Te Tiriti o Waitangi in learning and teaching. Situated within broader strategies, it focuses on the Mātai Ako initiative, which supports staff in building an understanding of Te Tiriti, developing competence, and aligning curricula. Drawing on national policy and university commitments, the initiative advances four actions: developing foundational knowledge, offering skill-building workshops, providing pedagogical mentoring, and reviewing curricula. Early outcomes include increased understanding, pedagogical shifts, and identification of next steps, though sustaining systemic change remains a challenge. The initiative is guided by an ethic of open communication, collective growth, and a staged approach that centres mātauranga Māori while respecting diverse starting points. It offers lessons for higher education institutions navigating tensions between Western academic traditions and obligations to Indigenous rights. Despite ongoing challenges, strategic alignment has established a platform for meaningful change.