The creation of the report Enhancing refugee-background learner journeys in Tertiary education in Aotearoa New Zealand was led by Professor Sara Kindon alongside alumna Sarah Willette, now a PhD candidate at the University of Canterbury, and involved written collaboration with more than 25 colleagues and learners from Te Herenga Waka and across Aotearoa.
Dr Logan Bannister, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Students) launched the report earlier in the year, and said, “The report and the approach to the research informing it is a perfect example of the University’s values in action—within this research we have
engaged with our community and sector to create transformative change for refugee-background learners.”
Professor Kindon, who is a Professor in Human Geography & Development Studies, has been working with refugee-background communities and resettlement agencies since 2005. Her collaborations have encouraged tertiary education organisations (TEOs) to recognise refugee-background learners in equity policy and practice.
The most recent report sits alongside, and has informed the development of, the best practice guidelines to support these learners commissioned and published by Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) in 2023. It is also the first collective publication from the
National Tertiary Network to Support Refugee-background Students (NTN), established by Professor Kindon in 2019.
The report highlights the diversity of refugee-background learners and why higher education matters so much within refugee resettlement, outlining the ripple effect that education has on positive development within an individual learner’s life, and beyond into their family, community, and society. It includes examples of ideal learner journeys to guide TEOs on how best to support learners’ tertiary education experiences, including outreach, admission, participation, completion, and graduation.
“Challenging misperceptions and stigma associated with former refugees needs to be repeated regularly. And there is great potential to build stronger connections with other learner groups, particularly Māori and Pasifika students who face some similar challenges,” explains Professor Kindon. “The transformative power of education for refugee-background learners is well-acknowledged. It is essential to get this right.”
Te Herenga Waka has a proud history of engaging with refugee-background learners and leading change in the sector. It was the first university to carry out research with this learner group, to provide students with an option to self-identify as coming from a refugee background at enrolment, to establish the national network, and to appoint a dedicated, part-time refugee-background advisor.
Co-authors of the report from Te Herenga Waka include senior career consultant Millie Douglas, Rutherford Research Fellow in Linguistics and Applied Language studies Emily Greenbank, Director of the English Language Institute Angela Joe, former refugee-background learner Soulivone Phonevilay, and senior learning advisor Kristen Sharma. The range of professional and academic spaces represented within this group shows the dedication Te Herenga Waka has to this kaupapa and the learner group involved.
Refugee-background Advisor Abdul Haidari says, “Our refugee-background learners have benefitted from Professor Kindon’s advocacy, and the research and guidelines provide myself and other support staff across the University a way to track our progress and increase our collective impact. Everyone has a part to play in refugee-background learners’ educational success.”
- Enhancing refugee-background learner journeys in Tertiary education in Aotearoa New Zealand*
- The Best Practice Guide for supporting refugee-background students
*The learner journey report will be hosted on the Refugee-background students page in future.