Black Lives Matter

Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington affirms its support for the goals of the Black Lives Matter movement, and its commitment to addressing systemic racism, injustice, and violence.

Our expressed purpose as an educational institution is to use teaching, research and engagement to transform lives. Our university is a place where learning flourishes and people are helped to transform society through knowledges, understandings and insights that support effective and just action.

Our Strategic Plan confirms our commitment to being an inclusive community that reflects the diversity of Aotearoa New Zealand’s population. We are proud to have staff and students with a broad range of experiences, knowledges, cultures, and backgrounds, from here and overseas.

Our Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Framework articulates our aspirations to be a vibrant, creative, supportive, and inclusive environment that encourages the recruitment, development, and retention of a diverse community of talented staff and students.

This work is critically important, as is ensuring that our values and aspirations are lived by our organisation and our community.

Many of us will have had or will have an experience on campus that brings us face-to-face with the issue of racial injustice and discrimination. Ultimately, it is what we do in these moments that will determine whether our University upholds equality and justice for all.

E tū! We are encouraging staff and students to stand up. There is no room for racism and intolerance, in any form, at our University or beyond.

Professor Grant Guilford, Vice-Chancellor at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington