Tertiary Education Minister Steven Joyce and Maori Affairs Minister Dr Pita Sharples have today signed a deed of settlement with Te Whare W�nanga o Awanui�rangi that recognises the unique contribution it makes to tertiary education, and provides the w�nanga with funding to develop its Whakat�ne campus.

Mr Joyce says the agreement completes negotiations between the Crown and all three w�nanga over the 1999 Waitangi Tribunal W�nanga Capital Establishment Report (Wai 718).

The Tribunal supported the claim that w�nanga did not get capital funding from the Government equivalent to other public tertiary providers and, as a result, the three w�nanga and their students were disadvantaged.

In settlement the Crown will pay Te Whare W�nanga o Awanui�rangi $14.5 million.

"This will contribute to the Whakat�ne Campus Development project, including the building of a library, noho centre, a large lecture theatre, enrolment centre and academic registry, marketing and exhibition centre, site works and landscaping at the Whakat�ne campus," says Mr Joyce.

"With this agreement, the Government recognises the unique contribution that Te Whare W�nanga o Awanui�rangi makes to tertiary education and that it has capital development needs and characteristics that are comparable to those of a university."

"In the 12 years since the Tribunal reported, Te W�nanga o Awanuiarangi has continued to develop its staff and its teaching programmes," says Dr Sharples.

"In 2004 the w�nanga was accredited to teach courses to PhD level, which was a world first for an indigenous tertiary education institution," he says.

Te W�nanga o Aotearoa and Te W�nanga o Raukawa settled their respective claims under Wai 718 in 2001 and 2008.