Whatua Tū Aka is the TLRI’s funding pathway for kaupapa Māori research projects.

In recent years, the TLRI has prioritised funding of research that focusses on success for Māori learners as Māori in any sector, as well as research on topics of strategic importance within the early childhood education (ECE), primary and/or secondary school sectors. Below you will find our library of completed and in-progress projects funded through Whatua Tū Aka.

On this page:

• Principles of Whatua Tū Aka
• Whatua Tū Aka application process
• Ngā paearu mō te whiriwhiri │Criteria for selection
• Whatua Tū Aka research

Principles of Whatua Tū Aka

There are five principles underpinning Whatua Tū Aka research: Kaupapa Māori, Rangatiratanga, Whanaungatanga, Ako, and Mana. These connected and interdependent concepts should be evident throughout a proposal.

Kaupapa Māori is the overarching principle for Whatua Tū Aka research projects. Kaupapa Māori assumes the validity and legitimacy of te reo, tikanga, and mātauranga Māori.

Your proposal must have a strongly articulated kaupapa Māori focus and approach that will have a transformative impact on the educational experiences of Māori. Proposals must be for research that is by Māori, for Māori, with Māori. The TLRI encourages nuanced and diverse expressions of kaupapa Māori e.g., ā-whānau, ā-kura, ā-hapori, ā-hapū, ā-iwi.

Rangatiratanga will be embedded in your proposal through your consideration of who the research is for and who initiated it. Rangatiratanga will also be evident in the project’s co-design and in the shared decision-making processes that exist between researchers and the community of interest. Your proposal should describe how your research will uphold rangatiratanga and be responsive to local tikanga, context, and kawa.

Whanaungatanga is about meaningful and reciprocal relationships. It acknowledges the responsibility and commitment researchers have to each other in the research team and to the community of interest. Your proposal should describe the nature of your existing relationship with the community of interest, as well as the nature of that relationship during the research, and into the future.

Ako is the essence of the TLRI. All projects are about teaching and learning. In a TLRI context, ako needs to be demonstrated in:

• how the research is undertaken, for example, through consideration of tuakana-teina relationships that will change across the team at different stages of the project
• your approach to building the capability of emerging or new researchers and others in the community of interest
• your approach to the dissemination of research findings.

The Project Output Portfolio (available at the bottom of this page) outlines TLRI expectations for dissemination of research findings.

Mana acknowledges the mana of tamariki, whānau, kura, hapori, hapū, and iwi. Your proposal should demonstrate how your research will uphold the mana of all involved, and how your project will seek to leave people in a better place as a result of their participation in the research. Your proposal should also demonstrate that you have considered key ethical issues and how these will be managed. It is not sufficient to refer only to writing an ethics application for an institutional committee.

Whatua Tū Aka application process

Applying for TLRI funding through the Whatua Tū Aka pathway differs slightly from the other pathways, in that applicants can move directly to the Full Proposal without submitting an Expression of Interest. However, the Expression of Interest can be a useful step for those seeking feedback on their proposal.

The steps when applying are as follows:

1. Expression of interest (optional for Whatua Tū Aka).
2. Full Proposal (required)
3. Panel feedback
4. Informing of recipients

Full Proposals must use the template for Whatua Tū Aka available at the bottom of this page. Applications not using this template will not be considered.

The page limit for each section is stated on the template – any information exceeding the page limit will not be considered by the selection panel. There are 4 sections to complete:

• A cover page which includes the project budget and timeline.
• Te wāhanga tuatahi: focusing on the overarching principle of kaupapa Māori, and on rangatiratanga.
• Te wāhanga tuarua: focusing on the overarching principle of kaupapa Māori, and on whanaungatanga, ako, and mana.
• An appendix with project-team biographies, and expressions of support from your community of interest (e.g., kōhanga reo, kura, whānau, iwi).

For principal investigators, the team biographies should include details about their experience in leading similar research projects and their recent research outputs. Please note that when completing the cover page, you will be asked to confirm your availability to meet, via Zoom, with the Full Proposal selection panel.

Ngā paearu mō te whiriwhiri │Criteria for selection

The criteria assess the extent to which the proposal:

• addresses an area of critical importance to Māori education and provides a clear rationale for the project
• poses a research question(s) that will build new knowledge and is (are) appropriate for the proposed scope and design of the project
• describes a project that has the potential to have a positive impact on learning and lead to outcomes of significance for tamariki Māori, ākonga Māori, whānau Māori, kaiako, kura, hapori, hapū, iwi
• explains how the project will uphold rangatiratanga
• has a strong kaupapa Māori research design that will address the research question(s) and enable substantive and robust findings
• demonstrates the existence of meaningful and reciprocal relationships (within the team, with the community of interest, and with an advisory group or critical friend)
• has a project team led by a principal investigator(s) with relevant experience in leading similar research projects, and a team that brings mana relevant to the project
• explains how the project will build the capability of all involved
• explains how the project will uphold mana tangata, and the mana of te reo, tikanga, and mātauranga Māori
• outlines a dissemination plan that will enable the project findings to be shared and have an impact beyond the project.