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Measuring the Economic Impact of the Pūhoro STEMM Academy

Please note: As of 1 July 2025, the New Zealand Institute for Public Health and Forensic Science (PHF Science) is the new name for the Institute of Environmental Science and Research (ESR). Research and reports published prior to this date may reference the organisation’s former name.

Summary

The Pūhoro Academy partners with a selection of secondary schools to operate a STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) Academy to increase Māori student engagement in STEM programmes. Pūhoro supports secondary schools to prepare their Māori science students for transfer to tertiary study and into employment. The Academy has had significant success in improving Māori educational performance rates. This report builds on two previous reports produced by the lead author in 2018 and 2019. The current report provides a cost-benefit analysis (CBA) of the potential economic benefits of the Pūhoro Academy to individual students, a regional economic analysis of the impact of the Pūhoro Academy, and an exploration of some significant flow-on impacts of higher education for Māori

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