College update December 2011

Vision of College realised with international MBA award

When the College first opened its doors in 2001, founding fellow - the late Sir Robert Mahuta - envisioned an academic institute that would "produce a continual stream of leadership to take Maaori people through to the next century”.

Testament to his vision, the now renamed Waikato-Tainui College for Research and Development is achieving that. The College received an international award in partnership with the University of Waikato for an innovative MBA programme launched less than 12-months ago.

The Waikato MBA programme at Hopuhopu - offered in partnership with the University of Waikato - was named winner of the inaugural MBA Innovation Award, at a gala dinner hosted in October by the London-based Association of MBAs (AMBA).

"It’s incredibly rewarding; an accolade of this nature is a major achievement for the College and University,” says Dr Sarah-Jane Tiakiwai, Academic Director of the Waikato-Tainui College for Research and Development.

"Our MBA programme was designed for Maaori leaders and takes a progressive approach to business education by fostering Maaori values and indigenous ways of doing business. This award is a credit to the quality of the curriculum and the calibre of teaching it offers.”

Launched in April 2011, the programme was one of four finalists selected for AMBA’s innovation award which included MBA programmes offered in Portugal, France/Singapore and the Netherlands.

"If we are to advance Maaori business leaders, then it is imperative we build and develop international relationships. This award is an opportunity to demonstrate to the global business community the uniqueness of our MBA programme and we thank all our guest speakers, mentors and key staff within the College and the University for assisting in the effective delivery of this programme,” says Dr Tiakiwai.

The Waikato MBA programme at Hopuhopu is delivered in a waananga environment and promotes collaborative learning with guest speakers and mentoring support from Maaori leaders that are all Waikato MBA Maaori graduates.

For Raukawa Settlement Trust Chair and MBA participant Chris McKenzie (Ngaati Tukorehe, Ngaati Mahuta), this point of difference to traditional business learning is essential for Maaori if we are to succeed on an international scale.

"Iwi are increasingly emerging as significant economic entities within the communities we share. It is therefore important that as iwi leaders we increase our range of skills and expertise to ensure we are making decisions driven by best practise to ensure we are maximising on behalf of our people the opportunities in the commercial and business arena also.

Education and building capability is a crucial challenge for all of our people and I am honoured to be able to lead by example in working to improve my value and the expertise I can provide to my iwi, to my whanau and to myself.

In 2010 the College and the University of Waikato signed a Memorandum of Understanding to commemorate the special relationship Sir Robert had with the University.

"The award endorses our commitment to develop future Maaori leaders,” says Professor Frank Scrimgeour, Dean of Waikato Management School.

"It shows that our MBA programme is world class, relevant, and at the forefront of management thinking."

AMBA is one of three international management education accreditation bodies whose combined accreditations form the prestigious Triple Crown held by a select group of business schools around the world. Waikato Management School is one of only three Australasian business schools to have achieved Triple Crown accreditation.

There are currently 23 students enrolled in the two-year programme. Applications to enrol in the next intake, of the Waikato MBA programme at Hopuhopu, are open until all places are full. For more information visit www.waikatotainui.ac.nz.

Research Update

The past 12 months has been busy for the College, with the launch of the MBA programme and with the College entering into key research projects within the Waikato rohe, nationally and internationally. Among these research projects is a partnership with the University of Otago and Raukura Hauora o Tainui, Te Mana o te Whaanau is located in the Waikato rohe and is part of an international indigenous collaborative project being conducted in Australia and Canada.

Te Mana o te Whaanau is focused on understanding and addressing oral health concerns of our tamariki in the Waikato rohe. The project involves working with ngaa Maamaa and their Peepi to understand and share knowledge of oral hygiene. We are excited by the opportunity to deliver tangible benefits from the project for whaanau. As of December, the project has gone live. If you are an expectant Mum and interested in this project, please contact us at the College or Rangi Cooper-Te Koi via email rangi.cooper-tekoi@raukura.com or 07 828 6626 at Raukura Hauora o Tainui.

Upcoming Seminar Series

With the Research programme at the College now underway, we will be convening a series of four seminars over 2012. Seminars will be based on the strategic goals of Waikato-Tainui as expressed in Whakatupuranga 2050: Kiingitanga, Tribal Identity and Integrity, Tribal Success and Tribal Social and Economic Wellbeing.

The College invites expressions of interest from any interested Waikato-Tainui alumni at graduate or post-graduate level. If you are not already registered as a Waikato-Tainui alumnus, please register on our website: www.waikatotainui.ac.nz on the College Alumni form.