Graham Adams, writing for Centrist, explains how Auckland University has introduced a compulsory first-year course on the Treaty of Waitangi and mātauranga Māori (Māori knowledge).
The introduction of the course has raised concerns over academic freedom and the institution’s international reputation. The course, which must be passed to progress to second-year study, is part of a broader “decolonisation” agenda aimed at challenging Western academic frameworks and elevating Indigenous worldviews.
Admas argues that the course promotes belief systems over evidence-based inquiry, risks politicising education, and discourages dissent by creating an environment where questioning course content may be penalised. Some academics fear reputational damage and self-censorship, especially after past backlash against those who opposed similar initiatives.
Read more at Centrist