Māori and Pacific students soar with Apollo programme

Since 2019, the Faculty of Engineering has been on a mission to boost Māori and Pacific student numbers through the Apollo programme – and recent statistics show it is succeeding.

The programme has seen a consistent rise in university admission success rates across cohorts, with the 2024-2025 Apollo 6 group experiencing the largest rise yet. For the first time, more than 50 percent of the cohort went on to enrol in a programme at the University of Auckland, compared to 30 percent of the previous group – and the largest proportion entered science and engineering-aligned pathways.

“That is the highest conversion rate of Apollo students coming into the University so far,” says Steve Watkinson, Apollo Programme Manager.

“The programme has been a big success and continues to grow.”

Supported by The Dines Family Charitable Trust, Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Foundation, the Estate of John W Turnbull, Matthew Abel, and Engineering alumni through the Auckland University Engineers Association endowment fund, the programme provides free, targeted calculus and physics tutoring to high school students in a university setting.

Year 12 students spend four weeks on campus across December and January, and return throughout Year 13 for one week in each school holiday period. This consistency enables them to gain a strong understanding of calculus and physics, which are both required subjects for entry into the Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) programme.

“Calculus was identified as a key sticking point preventing Māori and Pacific students from entering Engineering,” says Steve.

“We’re seeing a decline, especially in calculus, with schools offering limited access to standards, or none at all. These students just don’t have the prerequisites. Apollo aims to address that.”

Students’ options for advancing calculus and physics skills outside of school are minimal, with private tutoring costs prohibitive for many and teaching capacity at a maximum – of the sixteen Kura Māori within Auckland, only two have the ability to teach these specific subjects. In mitigating barriers of cost and access, the programme addresses equity and representation issues in the field.

Another key aspect is familiarising students with the university environment.

“Many of our students are first in family, and you don’t know what you don’t know,” explains Steve.

“Familiarity breeds confidence, so the more they are on campus, sitting in lecture theatres and experiencing the tertiary environment, it alleviates the anxiety of starting university.”

Being able to network and build friendships before beginning their degree is a big drawcard for Apollo participants, he adds.

“It means that on day one of semester one, they already have an established friend group that they can travel through their degree with. The current group of teaching assistants are all Apollo graduates who have maintained the connections they made through the programme. They stick together.”

These teaching assistants support the two teachers who lead the tutoring, both of whom are University of Auckland alumni. The programme is made possible through their facilitation, and through generous philanthropic support.  

“We wouldn’t be able to do what we’re doing without our donors’ support,” says Steve. “It’s invaluable. On behalf of myself and the students, I can’t thank them enough.”

With word of mouth about the programme growing, schools are now approaching the Apollo team and expressing interest in being involved. Meanwhile, other faculties are looking at creating similar programmes of their own.

“It’s become a bit of a gold standard within the University,” Steve says.

“For us, we will continue to be fluid in addressing the needs of students and find different ways to improve our work and expand our reach.”