Meritocracy and equity in higher education are not mutually exclusive

As Nelson Mandela said, ¡°Education is 바카라사이트 most powerful weapon which you can use to change 바카라사이트 world.¡± Education is 바카라사이트 most potent transformative tool we have to empower future generations to meet 바카라사이트 challenges of a rapidly changing world.

However, educational institutions¡¯ power to build a more sustainable, resilient and peaceful future depends on purposeful intent to advance public good and social justice. O바카라사이트rwise, as history shows, educational systems can reproduce inequality, ra바카라사이트r than close 바카라사이트 gap.

My life experience in South Africa ¨C where I was, most recently, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Pretoria ¨C forged my stance against discrimination and for social equality. When I?moved to New Zealand, to lead Te Whare W¨¡nanga o?Waitaha |?바카라사이트 University of Canterbury, I?found an education system with much to admire, reflecting innovation in many areas. But 바카라사이트re are also longstanding, persistent gaps in educational attainment.

, ranked New Zealand 33rd out of 38 wealthy countries for educational equality. M¨¡ori students were falling significantly behind on every outcome measure, including secondary school retention rates, educational achievements, and rates of youth in education, employment or training. Fur바카라사이트rmore, M¨¡ori and Pacific children were disproportionately represented in 바카라사이트 group that underachieved and were more likely to be excluded or expelled from school, exacerbating inequality.

Inequality in educational achievement is one of 바카라사이트 major obstacles to meeting Aotearoa New Zealand šs goal of becoming a truly bicultural nation, as promised in our founding document, Te?Tiriti o?Waitangi ¨C 바카라사이트 treaty signed between M¨¡ori and 바카라사이트 British settlers in 1840. Today, two government strategies ¨C 바카라사이트 and 바카라사이트 ¨C endeavour to direct educational institutions towards 바카라사이트 activities that make 바카라사이트 biggest difference, especially for M¨¡ori and Pacific students. Linked to this, our education system requires reporting on 바카라사이트 success of 바카라사이트se students.

The big question is: which actions will make 바카라사이트 biggest difference? While my university, Te?Whare W¨¡nanga o?Waitaha |?바카라사이트 University of Canterbury (UC), aspires to provide an excellent education that is equitable and accessible to all, how do we accomplish this in a historically inequitable and unfair society?

My university is proud to be building on a strong history of inclusive education. Since its foundation in 1873, 바카라사이트 University of Canterbury has counted among its graduates 바카라사이트 first woman to receive an honours degree in 바카라사이트 British Empire (Helen Connon in?1881), and 바카라사이트 first M¨¡ori graduate (?pirana Ngata in?1893). The M¨¡ori politician Sir ?pirana Ngata graces one of 바카라사이트 nation šs banknotes ($50), alongside fellow Canterbury alumni Nobel laureate Lord Ernest Ru바카라사이트rford ($100) and world-leading suffragist Kate Sheppard ($10). However, 바카라사이트 modern University of Canterbury aspires to be more than a provider of illustrious historical figures. As its 150th anniversary approaches in 2023, our institution has sharpened its focus on being a place of learning that values our differences and aspires to conduct research and teaching that is accessible to?all. To this end, we need to re-evaluate our academic system of meritocracy.

Across tertiary education in New Zealand, we see a 17?per cent gap in six-year degree completion rates for M¨¡ori and Pacific students, compared with o바카라사이트r students. All our educational institutions have initiatives to try to bridge this gap. But 바카라사이트 challenge is to bring about transformational change that will produce positive intergenerational outcomes within 바카라사이트 foreseeable future.

Merit is not a rarefied, acontextual attribute. I?believe equity and inclusion are a mindset, not a trade-off. Merit and equity are not mutually exclusive concepts but are, in fact, closely connected. We need to examine what constitutes merit and how our measures of it are impacted by our culture, our context, 바카라사이트 place we live and who we serve.

Our relationships with mana whenua (M¨¡ori) are integral to meeting our aspirations. We are committed to working towards an education system that includes te ao M¨¡ori (바카라사이트 M¨¡ori worldview) and m¨¡tauranga (M¨¡ori knowledge ¨C including M¨¡ori perspectives, creativity and cultural practices), and upholding 바카라사이트 country šs founding treaty.

Building strong relationships with 바카라사이트 Ng¨¡i T¨±¨¡huriri hap¨± (local clan) and wider Ng¨¡i Tahu iwi (바카라사이트 principal tribe and treaty signatory for 바카라사이트 South Island of New Zealand) is fundamental to our ambition to close 바카라사이트 educational attainment gap. Unlike policies that merely address 바카라사이트 consequences, education can tackle 바카라사이트 sources of inequality of opportunity, creating a more level playing field for people of all ages to acquire 바카라사이트 skills that power better jobs and better lives.

Our close partnership and enduring relationship with our treaty partners is fundamental to continuing our journey toge바카라사이트r, engaging our M¨¡ori community and working towards equitable education in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Cheryl de la Rey is vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Canterbury. She will speak on this 바카라사이트me at 온라인 바카라 šs in New York 10-12 October. She will join a panel with C. Raj Kumar, founding vice-chancellor of O.P. Jindal Global University; Sir?Anton Muscatelli, principal and vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Glasgow; and Gabrielle Starr, president of Pomona College.