Mandatory NZ History Course At Auckland University Spurs Debate

Tuesday, 25 March 2025, 6:34 pm
Article: RNZ

Duoya Lu, journalist

The ACT Party has questioned the need for undergraduate students at the University of Auckland to complete a mandatory first-year course that includes elements of New Zealand history, the Treaty of Waitangi and indigenous culture.

Students appear to be divided on the issue, with some questioning its relevance and others recognising the value of learning about the country's past.

Launched in early March, the Waipapa Taumata Rau (WTR) course is mandatory for all first-year undergraduates.

A university spokesperson said more than 7000 students, including international students, were expected to take the course this year.

The university said the course was designed to equip students with core knowledge and essential skills to help them transition into university life and prepare them for academic success.

ACT slams compulsory requirement

Parmjeet Parmar, ACT's tertiary education spokesperson, has called on the University of Auckland to scrap its compulsory Waipapa Taumata Rau course, which includes teachings on the Treaty of Waitangi and traditional Māori knowledge systems.

She said international students should not be forced to pay thousands of dollars for a mandatory course that had no relevance to their studies or future careers abroad.

"International students pay high fees to gain skills relevant to their fields and global careers," Parmar said.

"A course focused on New Zealand-specific history and culture, like the treaty, doesn't help an engineering or business student working aboard."

Parmar said the course should be offered as an elective option rather than being a mandatory requirement for all students.

"Students deserve choice, not a one-size-fits-all mandate," she said.

"Choice in study respects the diverse interests and needs of students, as well as the money they are paying in university fees."

Parmar said the University of Auckland should attract international students by offering an education that empowered them to pursue their own interests and ambitions.

Waipapa Taumata Rau content

A university spokesperson said all first-year undergraduates were required to take a faculty-specific WTR course.

The course had two key components: knowledge systems and knowledge of place, with the treaty of Waitangi comprising a small part of the broader knowledge of place content.

"The courses contain local case studies that draw on research about the city and country, helping all students gain a deeper understanding of place," the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson said there were five different WTR courses, one for each faculty, which would be "especially helpful for students coming from outside Auckland, including international students".

"What students learn about knowledge systems will vary between the five courses, ensuring the knowledge is relevant for their programme of study," the spokesperson said.

"For example, in the Faculty of Arts and Education, WTR 100 explores how histories and cultures inform the diverse knowledge systems underpinning arts, creative practices, education, humanities and social sciences.

"In the Faculty of Business and Economics, WTRBUS 100 uses a Māori-owned business as a case study to demonstrate knowledge systems relevant to business.

"In Engineering, WTRENG 100 takes an applied approach to demonstrate how knowledge systems are relevant to our professional bodies in architecture, design, engineering and planning programmes."

The spokesperson said the skills and understanding students gained from the course would be applicable wherever in the world they worked.

Mixed reactions from students

Colly Zhou, president of the New Zealand Chinese Students Association, said first-year Chinese undergraduates at the University of Auckland were generally divided on whether international students should be required to study New Zealand history and indigenous knowledge.

"Some students are very supportive. They see learning about New Zealand's history and culture as a valuable way to integrate into local life," Zhou said.

"But others worry that making the course compulsory adds academic pressure with extra homework and exams."

Zhou said some Chinese students were also concerned they might struggle to grasp the material due to their limited background in New Zealand history.

Zhou, who is set to graduate from the University of Auckland in May, said she first encountered the Treaty of Waitangi as part of a compulsory course in the university's Business School two years ago.

While she felt it was not directly relevant to her field of study, she acknowledged that understanding the country's history and indigenous culture could be an asset for international students planning to work in New Zealand.

"Māori values are increasingly embedded across various sectors," she said. "For graduates pursuing careers in public service or commercial law, this knowledge can be especially beneficial."

While Zhou supports the university's compulsory WTR course, she hoped the university would adopt a more flexible curriculum, giving students greater choice in shaping their academic paths.

Gabriel Boyd, president of the Auckland University Students' Association and an international student from the United States, said many overseas students, including exchange students, came to New Zealand with a genuine interest in learning about the country.

"I would be surprised if people were coming to study here in New Zealand with the intent of learning no local knowledge," he said.

"I believe it's much more common for that to be why students choose to study here."

Boyd said learning about New Zealand's history and indigenous knowledge could be valuable for both career development and personal growth.

"I've also yet to hear about an employer unimpressed by cultural competency and awareness of different knowledge systems," he said.

"Even if students come to New Zealand to study and then move back home, gaining new, unique perspectives will help expand their thinking."

Ej Dural Maga, a first-year undergraduate student from the Philippines studying accounting and finance at the University of Auckland, said he found the WTR course's content on indigenous knowledge and culture challenging.

"To be honest, I don't really find it interesting," he said. "But I'll do it anyways because it's compulsory."

Maga said the course introduced topics on Māori mythology, Māori gods and history, which he felt were not particularly relevant to his commerce studies.

He said international students should not be required to learn New Zealand history and indigenous knowledge as part of a compulsory course.

"We're just here to study commerce," he said. "I don't see how studying about a culture can help with that."

Tiger Welsh, a Māori undergraduate pursuing a conjoined degree in accounting and engineering at the University of Auckland, welcomed international students learning about Māori culture and New Zealand's history.

"I think it's definitely something [international students] should at least look at - Māori culture in New Zealand," she said.

Welsh had mixed feelings about whether a course on indigenous culture should be compulsory or elective.

"I have mixed emotions on compulsory for all of New Zealand," she said. "It's some people's cup of tea, and not really some other people's cup of tea."

Nikita Hokianga, an undergraduate pursuing a Bachelor of Arts at the University of Auckland, is of mixed Māori heritage.

She said Māori students were eager to share their culture with international students and believed learning about New Zealand's history and its people could help them adapt to life in the country.

"If you're moving to New Zealand and want to work or live here, it's quite important to know the history, because lots of jobs require at least some sort of basic knowledge of New Zealand," she said.

Hokianga supported making the course compulsory for all students.

"I know some students don't agree with it, but I think it's good that it's compulsory," she said. "Even if you are from New Zealand, lots of us don't know much about New Zealand.

"It is really important to get to know the country."

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