Maori and Psychology Research Unit, University of Waikato
Abstract
In 2002, the Māori and Psychology Research Unit at the University of Waikato made a valuable contribution to the teaching and practice of psychology in Aotearoa, via the Māori Graduates of Psychology Symposium. The symposium in 2002, with its theme of “Making a Difference” was designed to: provide an opportunity for exposure to role models; bring together Māori graduates of psychology to network and share information; and through the publication and dissemination of the Symposium proceedings provide a resource for teaching and practice in psychology. With over 100 delegates and 30 presentations, the 2002 symposium was widely acknowledged as a success. It resulted in the compilation of proceedings which have become a valuable resource in psychology.
While there have been informal gatherings and ongoing networking over the past five years, there have been no formal gatherings since that time. We at the Māori and Psychology Research Unit consider it timely in 2007, five years on, to convene another Symposium. Our conversations with Pacific psychologists and recognition of the ties which exist between us as Pacific nations, saw our focus expand to include Pacific psychologists and psychologies
