The Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) has announced that Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga, New Zealand’s Māori Centre of Research Excellence (CoRE), has been selected as the only applicant to go forward to the next stage of the Māori CoRE funding round for 2016 – 2020.

This decision means that NPM can now submit a full funding proposal to the commission’s selection panel, marking the final stage of a three-stage application process which was initiated in 2014.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) of the University of Auckland, Jane Harding, says that as the host University it is delighted that NPM will now have the opportunity to develop a full proposal.

“Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga has established an expansive network of research excellence over the past 12 years that spans all New Zealand universities, several wānanga, a CRI and museums as well as community-based research units across the country,” she says.

Just as Ngā Pae does, the University is looking forward to the opportunity to work further with every one of these organisations to ensure that the researchers that were involved with the competing bids are incorporated into the next phase of NPM’s detailed proposal.

“Ngā Pae is inclusive of all Māori researchers and institutions and we are all committed to ensuring that this ethos remains in place.”

Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga’s director, Associate Professor Tracey McIntosh (Tūhoe), says “We are pleased to have the opportunity to refine our proposal and in doing so demonstrate the significant further advances we can make based on our strong history of success.”

Many researchers across the country assisted with NPM’s funding bid and Tracey thanked them for their support.

“Their vision for the next phase in Māori research demonstrates the depth and breadth of Māori research leadership.”

She says a new research leadership model with a collaborative governance structure and greater community involvement is planned in NPM’s proposal.

“This collective model supports and values the efforts of all researchers to ensure research excellence which benefits Māori and the nation, and enables diverse leadership skills from around the country to be embraced and expanded.

“We hope the Tertiary Education Commission will support this inclusive approach and provide the funding we need to realise our vision for Māori to lead the nation into the future.”

The TEC Board of Commissioners is expected to make the final funding decision by June 2015.