Te Tiriti o Waitangi | Treaty of Waitangi
Aotearoa New Zealand is premised on Te Tiriti o Waitangi | Treaty of Waitangi, the founding partnership document of the nation signed in 1840. Whilst it was originally an agreement between Māori and representatives of the British Crown, in a modern day context it can be viewed as an agreement between Tangata Whenua, the people of the land, the indigenous Māori people, and Tangata Tiriti, people of the Treaty; this includes not only descendants of original settlers but people of all other ethnic origins who now reside in Aotearoa.
UC is working towards an education system that includes te ao Māori | Māori world views, and mātauranga Māori | Māori indigenous knowledge systems, the land and their relationships with Tangata Tiriti. Our Graduate Profile provides a framework for bicultural competence and confidence, which is the ability to interact confidently and appropriately with people from different backgrounds. It goes beyond an awareness of, or sensitivity to, another culture to include the ability to use that knowledge in cross-cultural situations. It is focused upon the inclusion of mātauranga Māori and mātauranga Ngāi Tahu, Ngāi Tahu knowledge, within undergraduate degrees. The sense of belonging and commitment to Māori aspirations is made manifest for Māori.
UC is a committed bicultural university operating in an intercultural world. We not only acknowledge the role of, and partnership with Tangata Whenua, we also aim to embed a bicultural perspective in all our learning, teaching and research.
