From Washington DC, The Chronicle of Higher Education Executive Editor Liz McMillen interviewed Professor De la Rey (via Zoom), asking about the background of the partnership, steps taken to improve educational outcomes for Indigenous students, and community feedback about the partnership.
Focusing on the importance of initiatives for under-served communities, Professor De la Rey said: “We do know from all the evidence that if we invest in the education of young people, it has a multiplier effect in our society. It has an individual … benefit … but in communities where the sense of family is far broader than what we often refer to as a nuclear family, that impact produces a benefit for a wide range of people.”
The partnership is very positive, she said. “I think that's because it's an open partnership. We have debates. We often have differences of views, but in one of the framing documents for this partnership, [UC Pou Whakarae] Professor Te Maire Tau … has indicated, what I think is really important for all universities, and that is on the marae … there has always been a spirit of debate and the robust exchange of ideas. The contestation of ideas has historically been part of Māori culture.”
Read more about the Office of Treaty Partnership here.
- The Chronicle of Higher Education is the largest US-based newsroom dedicated to the higher education sector with breaking news, expert opinions, advice, and faculty positions. In the On Demand: Global Leadership Interview series, the Chronicle talks with global university leaders who share how they are tackling some of the many challenges that institutions around the world are facing.
Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 10 - Reduced inequalities
