The country's only Maori Centre of Research Excellence will be cut it off at the knees - just as it is making progress is being made, one of its founders says.
Nga Pae o Te Maramatanga will lose its funding from the Tertiary Education Commission from next year.
Founding co-director Linda Tuhiwai Smith, who is now Pro-Vice Chancellor and Dean of the School of Maori and Pacific Development at Waikato University, says it's a huge waste of resources and effort.
Investment had been made in research, and funding was being cut just as the results were starting to pay off, Professor Smith said.
No consideration had been given to what would happen next - something Prof Smith described as unethical.
As well, Maori were beginning to feel shut out from most funding streams, she said.
