Skip to main content

Our Mission

Our Mission

Vision

The Matariki Network of Universities (MNU) seeks to build upon the collective strengths of its member institutions to develop international excellence in research and education and to promote social responsibility locally and globally.

Purpose

MNU members are critical friends and trusted partners who support each other to enhance quality in all areas of institutional activity. The network creates new opportunities for multilateral international collaboration in research and education. It enables members to enrich their work by sharing ideas and best practice with trusted peers and to collaborate in areas where collectively we can contribute more than we can individually. It provides a forum in which members can discuss and reflect on issues of common concern and identify mutually beneficial linkages. It encourages members to facilitate access to resources and opportunities at their respective institutions for colleagues from across the network.

Guiding Principles

Below are the Matariki Network’s  five Guiding Principles; updated in 2022 by the Executive Board:

  1. Commitment to Transnational Dialogue: Intentionally creating opportunities to discuss similar issues from different perspectives; structured and resourced appropriately;
  2. Academic Freedom and Autonomy, Freedom of Expression: Courage to have, respect and protect difficult conversations among all constituents, (students, faculty and professional staff);
  3. Respect for Diversity:  We enable, encourage and promote diversity in all that we do, and we commit to Indigenisation.
  4. Critical Friendship:  We are a trusted, close-knit network of friends and offer a safe space that respects the value of different perspectives;
  5. Purposeful Collaboration for Improving Lives: We always remain grounded in why we exist; to have positive impact, social purpose, and to make a difference in our communities.

Short-/mid-term Priorities

  1. Develop new (and refine current) curricular and co-curricular collaborative activities for students;
  2. Foster research collaborations: Create thematic opportunities, sabbatical support, funding support and infrastructure;
  3. Collective advocacy and action on big issues: More strategic connection on research Grand Challenges;
  4. Intensify engagement:  Building trust and ties, getting to know each other better;
  5. Civic engagement: Learn from each other on how we engage with our local- and regional communities;
  6. Raise MNU’s profile and global reach.

A number of distinct activities are currently being developed by our members in order to achieve these short-/mid-term priorities. For more information about these, please contact our Secretariat.