Moving Culture to the Center of the Curriculum: A Strategy for Regional Relevance and Organization Sustainability

When two regional institutes of technology merged in 2016, it created a singular opportunity for disruption to business-as-usual and for organizational transformation. The new entity's strategic intent is to be regionally relevant, learner-centric, sustainable, and innovative in delivery. Overarching all these considerations is an emphasis on relationships with our community, and demonstrating leadership in the re-positioning of culture at the heart of everything we do. Aotearoa New Zealand is a nation that prides itself on our dual heritage (Maori and European), and the way in which this is reflected in all public sectors in a commitment to a contemporary, bi-cultural framework. The core principles of partnership, protection and participation (Ministry of Justice, 2016) are the means by which legislation, public policies, and curriculum development should be judged. Yet Maori educational achievement lags behind that of non-Maori by 9.5% in degree completions (Marriott & Sim, 2014). Boosting achievement of Maori is a key government priority (Tertiary Education Commission, 2016) and organizational imperative. This chapter describes our cultural milieu and institutional vision, discusses the ways in which core values from Maori culture have informed curriculum development, and offers a pathway toward organizational sustainability. We outline how these different ways of thinking are being communicated to our students, staff, partners, and stakeholders, and how we expect to add value to the learning experience, and relevance to our own society and the wider global community. We emphasize that leadership and strategies directed toward sustainability, must and should begin with an understanding of organizational cultural identity - who we are, where we stand, and what we stand for.