This entry explores Māori leadership in Aotearoa New Zealand universities and the challenges Māori academics face. It shows how two forces, colonization and neoliberalism, have shaped university systems that still limit Māori participation and leadership today. Although universities have made commitments to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and increasing Māori success, many policies remain symbolic and often fail to create real change. The entry compares Western ideas of leadership, which tend to focus on individuals and hierarchy, with kaupapa Māori leadership, which is collective, relational, and grounded in values such as mana, whakapapa, and manaakitanga. It presents a framework based on eight qualities of Māori leadership that highlight care, courage, cultural knowledge, and unity. The entry also discusses how Māori leaders often carry extra responsibilities and must balance expectations from both Māori and university worlds. It concludes that adopting kaupapa Māori leadership can help universities move beyond tokenism and support fairer, more culturally grounded leadership and governance.