AARIA Contestable Funding Round 2025

The 2025 AARIA Contestable Funding Round is in the preparation stage, we plan to open the next round in March 2025.  

Ako Aotearoa will seek proposals that align with our AARIA Priorities (detailed below).

Value: $25,000 – $80,000 over the term of the contract
Duration: 5 months – 12 months
Total funding pool: $400,000

The 2025 request for proposals aims to catalyse systems-level change within the tertiary education sector, with the goal of advancing more equitable learner outcomes. We will invite proposals for innovative, ako-centred research projects that explore potential solutions and enhance support mechanisms for ākonga and kaiako, as well as teaching and learning strategies that contribute to the following objectives:

• Facilitate system-wide change across the tertiary education sector that enables a more responsive, flexible, and innovative system to meet the diverse needs of learners and communities. Proposals should contribute to transformational change that supports greater collaboration, adaptability, and alignment with the Tertiary Education Strategy (TES) objectives, ensuring the system works for all New Zealanders.
• Ensure equitable outcomes for Māori, Pacific, neurodiverse, and disabled ākonga.
• Response to pressing global and local issues such as technological advances (eg: artificial intelligence); online learning; and the needs of learners from low socio-economic and low-income backgrounds.
• Improve systems and processes to support best practice tertiary education that focus on whole of organisational leadership and change to deliver the outcomes above, including organisational culture and design, the utilisation of data to support planning and action and review, and the connection between the organisation and its wider partners (such as iwi, industry and community).

Read the AARIA Workplan for further information, or check the AARIA Frequently asked questions (FAQ) page

Key dates

The Contestable Funding Round will open in March 2025

The funding round will be divided into two stages:

• Expression of interest (EOI) / Registration - March and April 2025
• Full Proposal stage - April to May 2025 

Submissions will be evaluated by the selection panel - June and July 2025

New AARIA projects will be initiated in August 2025, with approval and contracting to be completed by October 2025.

Contact

If you are interested in either applying to the AARIA Contestable Funding Round 2025 or sharing this opportunity with your network of Tertiary Education Organisations, and have questions, please contact Dr Marvin Hao Wu (Programme Manager, Research and Innovation) and Dr Parisa Saadat (Research Programme Coordinator) at research@ako.ac.nz. We would be delighted to hear from you and assist with any queries you may have.

AARIA Priorities

We expect all applicants to align their research proposals with all of our four broader priorities, and at least with one of our targeted priorities, which are a key factor in our selection criteria. We encourage combining several targeted priorities into one research project.

Ako Aotearoa Broader Priorities

• Auaha (Innovation) | Driving system-level transformation in tertiary education with a learner-centred approach, addressing the evolving needs of ākonga and the broader education system. This includes the integration of technological developments (e.g., Artificial Intelligence), innovative and flexible programmes, and support for initiatives such as Te Pūkenga, the Reform of Vocational Education (RoVE), and work-based learning.
• Te Tiriti o Waitangi (Treaty of Waitangi) | Honouring Te Tiriti o Waitangi through tertiary education, including Te Reo provision, Kaupapa Māori education, Mātauranga Māori provision.
• Ōritetanga (Equity) | Achieving system-wide equity for all ākonga, including Māori, Pacific, neurodiverse, disabled, youth, and learners from low-income backgrounds.
• Hua Akoranga (Learner Outcomes) | Education and training that delivers for all learners, including supporting work readiness of all learners, online and distance learning options meets the needs of all learners, providing learning opportunities for people who wish to change careers.

Ako Aotearoa Targeted Priorities

• Neurodiversity
• Te Tiriti o Waitangi (Treaty of Waitangi)
• Mātauranga Māori (Māori knowledge)
• Pacific Cultures
• Leadership of teaching
• Artificial Intelligence
• Education Technology

Eligibility

Applications must:

1. Be made by an Aotearoa New Zealand-based tertiary education organisation (TEO)[1] or a New Zealand citizen / resident employed by an Aotearoa New Zealand-based TEO.
2. Be for research or related activities, the majority of which are to be undertaken in Aotearoa New Zealand.
3. Research and related activities are required to completely focus on Aotearoa New Zealand tertiary education. Proposals targeting on the compulsory sector (eg: secondary schools) are not eligible, even if the proposed research result can contribute to tertiary education.

[1] Definition: https://www.tec.govt.nz/teo/working-with-teos/about-teos/

Selection

Our funding panel will make the decision based on the quality and creativity of the research content.

We expect all applicants to align their research proposals with all of our four broader priorities, and at least with one of our targeted priorities, which are a key factor in our selection criteria. We encourage combining several targeted priorities into one research project.

Our Broader priorities are high-level funding priorities that bring together the strategic aims of Ako Aotearoa. Our Targeted priorities identify specific areas of research, learning, and teaching provision that we want to see growth or change in the year ahead. 

Nevertheless, we consider quality research outcomes above all and will consider provision outside targeted priority areas if it meets the broader priorities, and there is sufficient evidence of stakeholder demand.