Shaun Tahau has created history at Otago Polytechnic, successfully completing a Master of Professional Practice -
entirely in te reo Māori.
It’s been a significant year for Shaun -- in August, he was appointed to an exciting new role, Tumuaki
Whakawhanake/Director Māori Capability at Otago Polytechnic.
Shaun, who completed his MPP in early December, will graduate in March 2022 with distinction.
He started the journey towards his MPP in 2018 when, as Kaiārahi for the Office of the Kaitohutohu (KTO) at Otago
Polytechnic, he began the development of Te Rautaki Reo Māori (Otago Polytechnic’s Māori Language Strategy).
"This was an opportunity for me to develop my understanding in a strategic space, but to also share my passion and
lifelong mātauranga (knowledge) pertaining to te reo Māori me ōna tikanga (the Māori language and customs)," Shaun
reflects.
The development of the Rautaki Reo Māori took just over six months, and involved consulting with many rōpū (groups) from
Kōmiti Kāwanataka, Kotahi Mano Kaika and Otago Polytechnic’s Executive Leadership Team (ELT), before being approved by
the Kōmiti Kawanataka and ELT in December of 2018.
As he researched and developed Te Rautaki Reo Māori, Shaun realised there were no examples of this mahi being done in
the tertiary sector. Therefore, he saw this as an opportunity to enrol in the Master of Professional Practise (MPP),
with a focus on Organisational Leadership and Change and using his experience in developing Te Rautaki Reo Māori.
As he began the process of enrolling in the MPP and reflected on the significance of Te Rautaki Reo Māori, Shaun decided
that if he was going to focus on the strategy, it would only make sense to do it all in te reo Māori. At that point, no
one else had completed their MPP in te reo Māori.
This posed many challenges for Shaun as he navigated being a learner and needing support, but his role developing
policies and processes to support Māori learners helped overcome these barriers.
"The journey has been a great learning opportunity for me, understanding what Māori learners can face if they request to
submit their assessments in te reo Māori," Shaun says.
"Te Reo Māori is an official language of Aotearoa New Zealand, and has been since 1987. As an organisation, we should
support staff and learners to continue the appropriate use of te reo Māori in all domains."
Shaun describes his appointment in August as Tumuaki Whakawhanake/Director Māori Capability at Otago Polytechnic as
"both an honour and a privilege".
Dr Megan Gibbons, Chief Executive Otago Polytechnic,says: "Shaun brings a wealth of experience to the role, including
knowledge about the organisation, that will be instrumental in working with Colleges and Service Areas to assist them to
build greater capability. The more we know and can do, the better the outcomes for our tauira will be. I am thrilled to
have Shaun in this role."
Working within the KTO, Shaun’s role includes overseeing Otago Polytechnic’s Māori Workforce Strategy and Action Plan
and helping to lead the embedding and integration of the Māori Strategic Framework across Colleges, Schools and Service
Area. Shaun is also the lead contact for Otago Polytechnic in relation to Māori staff capability and development under
the mantle of Te Pae Tawhiti, Te Tiriti o Waitangi Excellence Framework for Te Pūkenga.