Two respected Pacific scholars, historian Dr. Marcia Leenen-Young from Samoa and sociologist Dr. Sereana Naepi from Fiji, who work at the University of Auckland, have received a significant US$75,000 grant from the Spencer Foundation Vision.

The grant is intended to help Pacific peoples in higher education for a better future.

Out of 400 international submissions, Dr. Naepi and Dr. Leenen-Young were among the 15 Vision Grant winners newly announced by the US-based Spencer Foundation, which focuses on promoting equity within educational systems.

Expressing their excitement over this achievement, the duo highlighted that receiving the Vision Grant presents an opportunity to rectify the historical undeserving of Pacific peoples within New Zealand's tertiary education sector.

“This grant allows us to build our vision of what we think is possible,” Dr Naepi said referring to research demonstrating Pacific peoples as underserved, underpaid, and under-represented.

 Yet despite significant government investment into policies to redress sector inequity, the implementation and delivery of policy across the country’s eight universities continues to be problematic.

 “To bring us together to design a dream… the dream is not just with policymakers, not just with community and not just with researchers, but all [of us] in the same space, having a conversation and trying to make it make something that lets us fulfil those aspirations,” said Dr Naepi.

 Their research project, titled "Strengthening the Vaka: Achieving Equity in Higher Education for Pacific Peoples," will involve collaboration with a team of Pacific researchers, public policy experts, and community members over the next twelve months.

Dr. Naepi, a Rutherford Discovery Fellow and recipient of the Research Impact Award, has dedicated her work to addressing inequity and racism experienced by Pacific communities. 

On the other hand, Dr. Leenen-Young has been nationally recognised for her teaching in tertiary education and was honored with the Te Whatu Kairangi – Aotearoa Tertiary Educator Award for her exceptional work with Pacific students in 2022.

The pair's success with the Vision Grant now opens doors for them to potentially apply for the Spencer Foundation's highly anticipated US$3.5 million Transformative Research Grant, which could lead to substantial and lasting changes in the education sector.

Dr. Naepi emphasised the importance of utilising the grant to challenge the longstanding disparities faced by Pacific peoples and highlighted the need for inclusive collaboration among policymakers, community members, and researchers to achieve their aspirations.

Dr. Leenen-Young echoed this sentiment, emphasising the project's aim to bring about rapid transformation and address key government policies that aim to promote equity for Pacific populations.

With their shared passion for advancing educational equity, the duo is eager to travel to Chicago as part of their award, where they will engage with international academics committed to reshaping education on a global scale.

As they work towards their vision of a more equitable higher education system for Pacific peoples, Dr. Naepi and Dr. Leenen-Young embody a collaborative and forward-thinking approach to instigating positive change in the academic sector.