The number of Maori students enrolled at the University of Otago has increased by 23% over the last five years, although research has shown that Maori from poorer socio-economic areas are still under-represented in all professional programs relating to health sciences.
Otago Health Sciences Pro-Vice-Chancellor Professor Peter Crampton, who undertook the research, remarked that Health Science faculties in both Otago and other international universities “struggle to achieve a balance of students that reflect the ethnic and socio-economic realties they will serve as health professionals.”
Vice-Chancellor Harlene Hayne addressed the issue at the annual National Conference of Maori Educators and Students. In her address, she noted the support offered within the University, such as the tutorials, peer learning, and counselling offered by the Maori Centre, as well as the Te Kahika Transition Programme. The programme encourages Maori contemplating first-year health science to undertake a one-year foundation programme to develop the skills they might not have picked up in the course of their lower-decile high school education.
Hayne remarked that the program has seen the number of Maori health science students more than double, and helps Maori students “by giving them a leg up”, after which they can “compete with everyone else and on their own merits.”
Hayne further maintained that every increase in Maori enrolment “makes a huge amount of difference”, and emphasised the importance of “embedding and normalising all things Maori in everyday university life.” She acknowledged that the University has strong cultural links with Te Runanga o Ngai Tahu through a Memorandum of Understanding, as well as maintaining links with iwi from the “north of the North Island to the very bottom of the south.”
Critic spoke with Te Roopu President Lisa Pohatu, who commended the support systems the University has in place as having contributed to the increase in enrolment. “Having more Maori students who have chosen this pathway to better the lives of themselves, their whanua, hapu and iwi is great for all Maori people.”
1600 Maori students are currently enrolled at Otago, making up 8.7% of the domestic roll, which is proportionally higher than the figure for Auckland University. 350 Maori students graduated from Otago last year, of which 90 graduated with postgraduate qualifications.
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