The World Indigenous Peoples’ Conference on Education (WIPCE) brought 3,800 Indigenous educators, and leaders from more than 40 countries to Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, New Zealand in November 2025
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Hosted by Te Wānanga Aronui o Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland University of Technology (AUT) alongside iwi manaaki (local tribe) Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, the World Indigenous Peoples’ Conference on Education (WIPCE) 2025 brought together 3,800 delegates from more than 40 countries.
Participants shared knowledge, culture and ideas, exploring how indigenous worldviews can shape education systems that honour traditional knowledge alongside contemporary innovation.
Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland is the world’s largest Māori and Polynesian city, and the programme wove Indigenous culture throughout – from the official pōwhiri welcome to bilingual wayfinding across key venue the Aotea Centre, to Te Ao Pūtahi Festival, a free public celebration of Indigenous culture and performance staged in Aotea Square.
Dr Noe Noe Wong‑Wilson, WIPCE International Council chair, said: “Tāmaki Makaurau stood out as host for WIPCE because we knew we would be welcomed warmly by the Māori community. We knew it would be a good place for all of us to convene to exchange knowledge with Indigenous communities from around the world.”
Content demonstrates global learning, local leadership
Presentations at the conference ranged from ancestral science and climate action to digital innovation and community wellbeing.
As home to two of New Zealand’s largest universities, Auckland offered fertile ground for cross‑cultural dialogue and research exchange. Delegates also connected with the region’s growing innovation and technology ecosystem, where Indigenous-led thinking increasingly shapes sustainable design, digital storytelling, and environmental management.
WIPCE 2025 keynote speaker Associate Professor Mere Skerrett said:
“Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland is a great place to have conversations about science, technology and innovation because it is a melting pot of all sorts of different people.”
Showcasing Auckland’s conference capability
“The real success of WIPCE being in Tāmaki Makaurau is the city’s ability to host an event of this scale – nearly 4,000 people. Tāmaki Makaurau delivered,” said Professor Meihana Durie, WIPCE 2025 co‑chair.
Auckland served as a living classroom in the event programme, with delegates immersed in experiences that shared stories of place, ancestry and innovation. Highlights included the All Blacks Experience, waka hourua sailing on Te Waitematā Harbour, a visit to Te Ihu o Mataoho Māori village, and an Indigenous culinary experience at Ōrākei Marae.
Auckland’s accessibility, walkability and seamless visitor experience made a strong impression.
Dr Noe Noe Wong‑Wilson noted: “It’s easy to get to Auckland from around the world and once you arrive here, the airport is only minutes away from the conference venue. Our delegates really enjoyed themselves. Auckland is an absolutely beautiful city, surrounded by water, with lovely architecture, and is energised by people and the nightlife. The Aotea Centre is a jewel for Auckland, and our delegates found it easy to access from whichever hotel they were staying in.”
WIPCE sets legacy in motion
WIPCE 2025 delivered immediate economic benefits, with 3,800 delegates generating more than 16,600 visitor nights and an estimated $8.275 million in regional economic impact. But its lasting value lies in strengthened global networks in Indigenous education, research and policy.
The conference deepened connections between Auckland-based academics, iwi and international Indigenous institutions, and amplified Māori and Pacific leadership within Aotearoa New Zealand’s education sector.
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