In November 2025, Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland welcomed more than 3,800 Indigenous educators and leaders from over 40 countries for the World Indigenous Peoples’ Conference on Education (WIPCE). 

Hosted by Auckland University of Technology (AUT) with iwi manaaki (local tribe) Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, WIPCE highlighted how Indigenous knowledge and contemporary innovation can shape the future of global education.

Auckland’s status as the world’s largest Māori and Polynesian city created an unparalleled environment for culturally rich events and content. For WIPCE, this included a powerful Māori pōwhiri welcome and city-wide ‘Parade of Nations’. Immersive learning experiences included waka hourua sailing on Te Waitematā, Indigenous culinary experiences at Ōrākei Marae and visiting Te Ihu o Mataoho Māori village. Meanwhile, Te Ao Pūtahi Festival – a free celebration of Indigenous culture, art, food, and performance in Aotea Square – provided an opportunity for the public to get involved.

Auckland is home to two of New Zealand’s largest universities and a growing technology sector. For WIPCE, this provided fertile ground for cross-cultural dialogue and research exchange and opportunities to showcase Indigenous-led innovation. WIPCE 2025 keynote speaker Associate Professor Mere Skerrett said: “Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland is a great place to have conversations about science, technology and innovation because it is a melting pot of all sorts of different people.”

With nearly 4000 delegates, WIPCE was the city’s largest academic conference to date, demonstrating Auckland’s strength in hosting high-attendance international events. Attendees praised the easy walking distance between key venue the Aotea Centre and the plentiful accommodation and dining options in the city centre.

WIPCE 2025 was supported by Auckland Convention Bureau, a division of Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, and Tourism New Zealand Business Events.

To discover how New Zealand can elevate your next international conference, visit businessevents.newzealand.com.