Dr Amohia Boulton, Director of Whakauae Research Services Ltd recently delivered a keynote address at the Australasian Research Management Society (ARMS) Conference 2026, held between the 9th-11th of September 2026. Her keynote, entitled Titiro whakamuri, kōkiri whakamua: Reflecting back to chart our future, spoke directly to the conference theme of Connected Futures: Partnerships, Platforms and People Powering Research, and told the story of the emergence and growth of Whakauae as an iwi-owned health research centre. The 2026 conference theme was a particularly timely reminder of the importance of people and relationships in our efforts to undertake transformative research in our communities, during a time in which the use of technology, particularly AI, is being lauded as the solution to producing more effective research outcomes.
Whakauae Research recently recognised the end of the HRC funded programme of research, Kia Puāwai ake nga uri whakatupu (Kia Puāwai), with an event at Rātā Marae.
The symposium Ki Te Whai Ao, Ki Te Ao Mārama, showcased Kia Puāwai activities across the five-year programme of research that was dedicated to generating new Māori knowledge to find solutions to improve the health and wellbeing of all whānau Māori.
We are consolidating our track record of producing high quality, timely, Kaupapa Māori research, working for whānau, hapū, iwi and hapori Māori. This Pou produces the rigorous evidence, research expertise and the thought leadership that has the potential to transform health services, health policy, and Māori health governance.
We are strengthening our capacity to conduct high quality research through investment in our infrastructure and our people. This Pou supports attracting and retaining high-performance Māori expertise and ongoing commitment to upskilling talented people within the Māori health research sector.
We are enhancing our TUI (Translation, Uptake & Impact) platform through investment in new people, new technologies and varied modes of dissemination. This Pou works to design and package new knowledge into media that are useful and meaningful to whānau, hapū, iwi and hapori Māori and other stakeholders, and which engage and create communities of interest.
We are enriching our alliances at the local, national and international level with groups and organisations who have an interest in advancing a Māori/Indigenous health equity agenda. This Pou works to establish partnerships and expertise across local and international Indigenous groups to develop effective new evidence, ideas, and knowledge exchange.
Creating a new team within our organisation who, drawing on their respective leadership roles in the sector, will translate research evidence into “actionable intelligence”. This Pou works to connect Māori research evidence directly to key areas of change-making to achieve the inclusion of Māori evidence in public health and public policy.
