SDG 10 – Reduced Inequalities , Whakaiti Manarite-kore

Māori student numbers increase

The percentage of Māori students at Massey has steadily increased over recent years. Māori made up 13.4% of domestic students in 2019, rising to 14.1% in 2020. The proportion remained stable at an average of 14.6% between 2021 and 2023, before increasing again to 14.9% in 2024.

The current rate is similar to the national population estimate for Māori people aged 18 years and over of 14.8% (Statistics NZ 2023 Census estimate).

In 2024, Massey had the second highest number of Māori students of all New Zealand universities.

A higher proportion of Māori students are female and 25 years or over in age (48.7% of all Māori students in 2024) compared to the demographics for all students (39.9%).

Additionally, Māori students are more likely to study by distance (83.7% compared to 65.4% for all students).

Māori representation among domestic postgraduate students is a little lower, at 13.1%, compared to the population proportion of 14.8%. However, this figure has generally increased in recent years and is 1.4 percentage points higher than in 2019.

Massey University offers a wide range of support for Māori students, including access to Te Rau Tauawhi – Massey’s Māori Student Centre, as well as dedicated Māori deans and Māori student advisers.

In 2024, Massey introduced new questions about te reo Māori during admission and enrolment. These help identify Māori language learners early and connect them with key support services.

Postgraduate and doctoral study support is available through Te Wheke a Toi, Massey's International Indigenous Centre for Critical Doctoral Studies.

Find out more about the support offered to our Māori students

Pacific student numbers increase

The percentage of Pacific Peoples students at Massey has steadily increased over recent years. Pacific Peoples students made up 5.1% of all students in 2019, rising to 5.5% in 2020. The proportion remained stable at an average of 5.7% between 2021 and 2023, before increasing again to 6.1% in 2024.

While these rates are nearing the population estimate for Pacific people aged 18 years and over of 7.2% (Statistics NZ 2023 Census estimate), there is still a difference of 1.1 percentage points.

Massey had the third-highest number of Pacific students of all New Zealand universities in 2024.

A higher proportion of our Pacific students are female and 25 years or over in age (48.7% of all Pacific students in 2024) compared to the demographics for all students. Additionally, Pacific students are more likely to study by distance (83.2% compared to 65.4% for all students).

Lower proportions of postgraduate students are Pacific, at 5.2%, compared to the population proportion of 7.2%.

Massey has much support for Pacific students, including the Pacific Student Teaching Support tutoring programme, Pacific student associations and Pacific Learning Advisers.

Find out more about the support offered to our Pacific students

Increasing Māori and Pacific veterinary student numbers

Each year, the number of Māori and Pacific veterinary students grows due to Tāwharau Ora, the School of Veterinary Science’s Māori and Pacific VETMAP admissions programme.

In 2024, there were 64 Māori and 17 Pacific students. For Māori students, this is an increase of more than a third (36% higher) compared to 2023 and is quadruple the number in 2019. For Pacific students, the number has remained stable between 2023 and 2024 but is more than double compared to the number in 2019

Māori and Pacific student numbers continue to grow, and the school expects to reach population parity within the next few years.

The school is committed to ensuring that a new generation of Māori veterinarians can study and thrive in an environment that recognises the importance of connections and relationships with Māori and mana whenua.

This revised pathway honours Te Tiriti o Waitangi and Pacific partnerships. It aligns with local, university and government initiatives for Māori and Pacific student success and the United Nations Directive on the Rights of Indigenous People.

Learn about the VETMAP programme for Māori and Pacific students

Support for disabled students

Massey is committed to supporting disabled students through its Disability and Inclusion Action Plan, which ensures the disabled student voice is heard and included in decision-making.

Disability inclusion is also a key focus of Pūrehuroatanga — a strategic initiative that champions equity, access, and excellence.

An example of this ongoing support is the Specific Circumstances and Disability Support initiative, launched in 2024, which improves the application process for students needing tailored assistance.

Find out more about Massey’s Disability and Inclusion Action Plan

Recruitment initiatives and programmes

Massey has many initiatives which focus on increasing the number of Māori and Pacific students to increase their representation in the university's student population.

• Te Manu Tāiko. A kaupapa Māori programme for years 12 and 13 Māori high-school students. This programme is an opportunity for ākonga Māori to be informed, be inspired, get a taste of university life, celebrate being Māori and plan for their future studies.
• Pacific Islands Leaders of Tomorrow (PILOT) Leadership conferences are for high-achieving Pacific secondary school students in Auckland.
• Kei a Tātou te Ihi (KATTI). A Māori initiative aimed at supporting Māori secondary school students in Auckland with Careers and Transition Education to encourage students to complete schooling to Year 13 and also to promote tertiary study options.
• Māori and Pacific spaces and facilities are available on each campus, including the marae on the Wellington and Manawatū campuses.
• Māori and Pacific Career Expos.
• Māori and Pacific student scholarships.
• Māori and Pacific Student Recruitment advisers. These advisers can answer questions and guide students along the pathway of their chosen course of study.
• Information sessions promoting Māori and Pacific students for Veterinary Sciences.
• Future Māori and Pacific whānau evening.

Massey also focuses on reaching and supporting first-in-family learners and other non-traditional learners.

• Information evenings are run in many smaller towns in New Zealand to help find these students, including online webinars.
• School-leaver scholarships to enable equity are also available.

Find out more about:

• Māori scholarships
• Pacific scholarships
• Massey University Undergraduate First Year Scholarship – School Leavers