Te Mana Ākonga is the national voice for tauira Māori (Māori tertiary students) in Aotearoa. Representing 11 Māori student associations from universities and polytechnics, the organisation exists to uphold the rights, aspirations, and wellbeing of tauira Māori through kaupapa Māori-driven advocacy and leadership.

At the heart of Te Mana Ākonga is whakapapa—the foundation of identity, connection, and purpose. Its whakapapa stretches back to early Māori student leaders like Tā Apirana Ngata and Te Rangihiroa Te Moana, and to the formation of the New Zealand Federation of Māori Students in the 1970s. This legacy of Māori student activism continues to guide the organisation’s vision: Māori students leading Māori futures.

Te Mana Ākonga is grounded in the values of rangatiratanga (self-determination), mana whakapapa (identity through lineage), hiranga (excellence), tauutuutu (reciprocity), and kanorau (diversity). These principles inform all aspects of its work—from political advocacy to cultural celebration.

Key kaupapa include Te Huinga Tauira, the annual national gathering of tauira Māori; Te Oranga Tauira, a mental health and wellbeing working group that occurred in 2019, and Te Pararē, a national Māori student publication. Te Mana Ākonga also had led and continues to lead research and policy engagement that strengthens the voice and presence of Māori in tertiary education.

Te Mana Ākonga honours those who came before, serves the needs of tauira today, and lays the groundwork for generations to come.