Our story is a migrant story and we’re still coming here to become citizens of this country. When people here look at me, I know they think I’m uneducated or they assume that I don’t have a doctorate. In our country – and our country is New Zealand – we appear as second class citizens because we’re brown.
– Kidman and Chu, 2019, p.491
Pacific scholars are significantly underrepresented in the academic workforce, comprising only about 1.7% of the total academic staff, despite the growing number of Pacific students in higher education. This disparity is evident across various academic ranks, with very few Pacific academics occupying senior positions, such as associate professors, professors, or deans. This lack of senior staff limits mentoring opportunities for early career academics and the ability of Pacific staff to contribute to meaningful change within formal university structures. Pacific academics face systemic barriers, including institutional racism, exclusion from prestigious academic networks, and excess labour. These factors contribute to their invisibility and marginalisation within the academic community.
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