Auckland wins WIPCE 2025
Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland has been selected to host WIPCE 2025 – the World Indigenous Peoples’ Conference on Education.
WIPCE is the largest, most diverse Indigenous education forum in the world, and is expected to attract some 3,000 representatives from around the world to New Zealand to share strategies for culturally grounded education.
The event will be held in November 2025 and will be one of the first international conferences held in Auckland’s New Zealand International Convention Centre (NZICC), delivering an estimated economic impact to the city of more than $6m.
The bid was led by Auckland University of Technology’s Office of Māori Advancement and Te Ara Poutama – its Faculty of Māori and Indigenous Development with support from Auckland Convention Bureau (ACB), a division of Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, and Tourism New Zealand’s Business Events team.
The bid also received support from Māori King Te Arikinui Tūheitia Paki, the Chair of Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Trust Marama Royal, and distinguished academic leaders in Māori advancement.
AUT’s Pro Vice-Chancellor for Māori Advancement, Professor Pare Keiha, is the Chair for WIPCE 2025 and says the WIPCE International Council voted unanimously for Te Wānanga Aronui O Tāmaki Makau Rau (AUT) to host the event in 2025.
“The WIPCE council was elated by the calibre of our bid, by its multi-generational focus. My esteemed colleagues have done Aotearoa proud in bringing this home, a job made possible with the full support of others, including Tourism New Zealand and the Auckland Convention Bureau,” Professor Keiha says.
“We look forward to welcoming thousands of our global Indigenous brothers and sisters to the shores of Aotearoa New Zealand, so that we may collectively work to transform the lives of our young people, the world over.”
Head of ACB Ken Pereira says: “We are proud of the opportunity to celebrate the mana of our indigenous Māori culture and highlight the important work being done in our education sector on a world stage. This win is an example of the importance of industry partners working together to bring world-class events to Tāmaki Makaurau.”
Tourism New Zealand General Manager New Zealand & Business Events Bjoern Spreitzer adds: “It’s truly exciting to be able to share New Zealand’s unique Māori culture and world view with the manuhiri (visitors) who will attend this conference.
“The authentic and transformative cultural knowledge and experiences that Aotearoa New Zealand can offer business event attendees really sets us apart as a destination. This event will create excellent opportunities for knowledge sharing and positive legacies.”
NZICC’s Director of Sales & Marketing Prue Daly says: “As the only venue in New Zealand large enough to host a conference of this scale, it is a privilege to be welcoming WIPCE and their delegates to the New Zealand International Convention Centre as one of our first international conventions after our much-anticipated opening in 2025.
“The sharing of knowledge and showcasing New Zealand’s manaakitanga are fundamental values of the NZICC, and to be able to foster this through the WIPCE conference, who are utilising all 32,500 sqm of our world-class venue, is very exciting.”