The Honourable Te Ururoa Flavell (Ngāti Rangiwewehi, Ngāti Ngararanui, Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāti Te Ata, Ngāpuhi) has been appointed to the University of Waikato Council for a four-year term and will serve as the new Pro-Chancellor.
His appointment follows Mrs Susan Hassall taking up the position of Chancellor this week and marks a new chapter in the institution’s leadership.
The Hon. Te Ururoa Flavell, Pro-Chancellor of the University
Mr Flavell brings with him a wealth of experience in Māori education and governance. He has held advisory and leadership roles across the education sector, including at Tīpene | St Stephen’s School, Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi, Te Ataarangi and Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, and has served in Parliament as co-leader of Te Pāti Māori, where he held various ministerial and governance roles.
An alumnus of the University, Mr Flavell has worked as a Professorial Fellow since 2018 across Te Pua Wānanga ki te Ao Faculty of Māori and Indigenous Studies, the Division of Arts, Law, Psychology and Social Sciences, and Waikato Management School. He has been leading Te Āhurutanga – Māori Student Leadership programme for the past four years and is particularly passionate about increasing cultural confidence across the University.
He received an Honorary Doctorate in 2024 in recognition of his leadership in the education sector, and in advancing the use of te reo, tikanga Māori and Indigenous knowledge across education and government.
Mrs Hassall, Chancellor of the University, highlights the connections across education and government Mr Flavell brings to the role.
“We’re very fortunate to have Te Ururoa join us as Pro-Chancellor. The strength of his appointment will be that we complement each other well. He brings a te ao Māori understanding, his links to Māori, Wellington, and to politics and people nationally, while I bring my knowledge of people in the Waikato.
“I think that together, we’ll make a good team for the University and for the Council.”
