Co-Director Professor Jacinta Ruru, was recently one of 20 Wāhine Toa to contribute to a roundtable discussion with Barack Obama, former President of the United States of America during his visit to Aotearoa in March 2018.
Wāhine Toa were the only group in Aotearoa New Zealand to have this opportunity. "It was an incredible experience to sit with a group of amazing Māori women leaders from around the country to share our hopes and aspirations for change”.
Jacinta had the opportunity to share a little about the impressive proven legacy of NPM's MAI Te Kupenga programme which inspires and supports Māori postgraduate success. This world-leading programme originally set a national goal for 500 Māōri PhDs, which was achieved, and there are now more than 650 Māori Doctorates conferred and enrolled. Our new goal announced in 2016 is for 1500 Māori PhDs and we look forward to finding ways to work with the Obama Foundation to further realise this goal.
Link to a video of this meeting published by the Obama Foundation
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