A people torn in twain: Colonial and indigenous contexts of university education in New Zealand

This paper examines the development of the university system in New Zealand and explores the impact of colonisation on the development of research priorities. The paper covers four main areas. The first area discusses the question of identity and location in the early settler colonies and how early contact between Maori and Pakeha led to significant shifts in cultural codes; the second area concerns the historical foundations of higher education in New Zealand and the establishment of Victoria University of Wellington. It includes a discussion of colonial and indigenous identities in the academic context; the third area deals with the contemporary university with particular reference to Victoria University of Wellington; the final section offers some reflections on the ways in which colonisation and local identity are presently influencing educational research priorities. © Kluwer Academic Publishers.