Tā Te Heamana

Chairperson's report

E mihi maioha ana ki a koutou e toro nei ki tā tātou pūrongo ā-tau e matapaki ana i ngā kaupapa me ngā tūwhai āhuaranga kua tutuki i a Te Wānanga o Aotearoa i te tau kua hori nei. Nō mātou katoa o Te Mana Whakahaere te whiwhi ki te tuku i tēnei pūrongo i runga anō i te whakaiti me te whakahīhī Māori.

Ka mihi ake rā ki tō tātou Kaiwhakatere me ana Pouwhakahaere. Mō rātou i arahi i te kaupapa i roto i ngā tūārangaranga me ngā karawhiunga o te wā. Heoi anō mei kore ake ko ngā kaimahi, ngā kaiako, ngā ringa rehe, ngā mātanga e angitu ai te tauira. Nō reira e te iwi ka waiho mā te roanga o te pūrongo nei e whakamahuki. Kāti ake rā i konei tēnā rā koutou katoa.

It is a privilege for me to present Te Pūrongo 2022, the annual report of Te Wānanga o Aotearoa for what has been another year severly impacted by COVID-19.

While the global pandemic continued to cause significant disruptions for our kaimahi, tauira and the organisation as a whole, our experiences, learnings and adaptation over the previous two years have stood us in good stead.

Therefore, it is of great satisfaction that I am able to report, that through the continued dedication of our kaimahi to the kaupapa of Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, and our values of Te Aroha, Te Whakapono, Ngā Ture and Kotahitanga, we were able to overcome adversity to finish the 2022 year in a strong position ready to move forward positively as a Wānanga towards Ko te Whakakitenga – He takapau mātauranga, he whānau huarewa.

As a board, Te Mana Whakahaere welcomed Professor Jacinta Ruru (Raukawa, Ngāti Ranginui and Ngāti Maniapoto), the first Māori law professor in Aotearoa, and also Turi Ngatai (Ngaiterangi, Ngāti Ranginui), our former relationships manager and one-time interim co-chief executive of Te Wānanga o Aotearoa. Both bring their vast knowledge and experience to our discussions and we look forward to their contributions in guiding Te Wānanga o Aotearoa into the future.

Sadly during this year, we also acknowledged the passing of former Te Mana Whakahaere member Tā Noble Thomson

‘Toby’ Curtis (Ngāti Pikiao, Ngāti Rongomai). Moe mai rā e te rangatira. Toby was always open to sharing his experiences and learnings, something that I continue to remain grateful for.

In early 2022, Te Mana Whakahaere had the pleasure of appointing our acting chief executive Nepia Winiata (Ngāti Raukawa) to the role of chief executive/Te Kaiwhakatere.

Te Mana Whakahaere appreciated Nepia’s leadership through the many challenges and disruptions due to COVID19 in recent years, and his deep understanding and passion for Te Wānanga o Aotearoa and its purpose.

Despite the challenges faced during 2022, Te Wānanga o Aotearoa still achieved significant progress.

Our External Evaluation and Review (EER), originally scheduled to be held in 2020 but twice deferred due to COVID-19, was held during 2022 and resulted in Te Wānanga o Aotearoa moving to a Category Two provider and receiving strong positive feedback.

The EER Report summary noted that performance since the last EER has been impressive with self-assessment more comprehensive and leading to positive improvements. In addition to this, other areas that require further attention are being managed effectively.

This has been an area of intense focus for many of our kaimahi and I acknowledge their commitment, effort and expertise in achieving this excellent result.

Another area of importance, is the work we have been doing with the Crown, Te Wānanga o Raukawa and Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi on the Wānanga Sector Framework Proposal, which is considering legislative changes to better recognise:

› the individual and collective mana and tino rangatiratanga of the Wānanga,

› the Tiriti o Waitangi/Treaty of Waitangi-based relationship between the Wānanga and the Crown, and

› the unique role the Wānanga play in the tertiary education system.

This saw Te Wānanga o Aotearoa senior leaders conducting presentations across the motu and encouraging feedback from kaimahi before finalising our submission on the proposed changes. Our submissions favoured the option which involves establishing an enabling Wānanga sector framework within the Education and Training Act 2020. This allows Wānanga to continue to be considered a Tertiary Education Institution - with specific purpose, function and governance arrangements agreed between the Wānanga and the Government - or to become a new type of statutory entity which keeps its focus on education provision but has greater independence in terms of its administrative arrangements, including accountability to iwi, thereby increasing iwi responsibility.

A review of our 2022-2024 investment plan has seen us reset out view of our outcomes framework, Te Haunganui, in the context of Te Tiriti.

This re-alignment supports the three over-arching aims of our long-term plan, Te Pae Tawhiti, to:

› offer a relevant and sustainable programme mix

› put our tauira at the centre › ensure sustainability through educational excellence.

The annual review of our mix of provision also supports these aims and while our first priority remains the advancement of mātauranga Māori, in 2022 we began the process of planning to grow our vocational provision.

Despite these advances, the global pandemic continued to be a significant factor throughout 2022, but particularly during the peak enrolment period for Semester A, where we saw a decline in enrolments, with our final result falling well short of our EFTS target, with 14,412 of 17,984 allocated EFTS, or 80.1% of the EFTS funding.

The impacts were also felt in other areas, related to the Government public health measures, how Te Mana Whakahaere remained focussed on providing an āhuru mōwai (safe space) for all.

Therefore, after significant consultation with kaimahi and a comprehensive risk assessment, Te Mana Whakahaere approved an Outbreak Infection and Transmission Reduction Tikanga Whakahaere (policy), requiring all kaimahi, tauira and manuhiri to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and to move all our teaching to an online environment for Semester A 2022.

With the above challenges in mind, we are therefore happy to report a surplus of $3.7 million, or 2.5% of total revenue, with this figure only achieved through significant cost savings and a dedicated plan to develop an online option for our He Papa Reo programme, enabling us to support and enrol a significant number of waitlisted tauira towards the end of the year, who in turn took steps towards the achievement of their aspirations.

It is pleasing to acknowledge that a new approach to our marketing campaign and recruitment processes in late 2022 led to a significant growth in enrolments for 2023, with around 50% of our EFTs target achieved before the end of 2022, our best ever result and one which gives us increased confidence about the year ahead.

In closing, I wish to acknowledge the work of my fellow board members, Nepia and our Pou Whakahaere. I am deeply honoured to work alongside you, to learn with you and from you, and to experience the brilliance of Whānau Transformation in action.

To all our kaimahi at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, I thank you on behalf of Te Mana Whakahaere for your continued efforts under trying circumstances, for upholding Ngā Uara/Our values in all that you do and all that you are to each other and the tauira and whānau that we serve. Thank you.

Vanessa Eparaima Te Heamana | Chairperson