Key appointments to the new transition body to form the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) were announced today by Associate Education (Tertiary Education) Minister Steve Maharey.

Dr Andrew West, Chief Executive of the New Zealand Qualifications Authority, has been appointed Chair of the Transition TEC. Associate Professor Kaye Turner, currently Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) at the University of Waikato, has been appointed as Deputy Chair.

Mr Maharey said the appointments, and related announcements also made today, demonstrate that the Labour-Alliance Government is serious about acting on the consensus evident at the Knowledge Wave conference to position the tertiary sector as a leading driver of economic and social transformation.

"The Chair and Deputy Chair of the Transition TEC will play a key leadership role in reshaping the tertiary education sector to meet the new challenges of our growing knowledge society.

"The Transition TEC will act as an “establishment board’ for the permanent TEC which will be established next year to improve the relevance and cost effectiveness of the tertiary education system. It will also act as an “advisory board’ during the further development of the Tertiary Education Strategy and an enhanced system of charters and profiles for all publicly funded providers and industry training organisations

"Dr West has an extensive knowledge of the tertiary education and research sectors and of the interface between tertiary education and industry. He has advised successive governments on the reform of the public science system leading to the establishment of the CRIs and subsequently headed the very successful Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences.

"The Government was impressed by his demonstrated ability to successfully manage multiple relationships. We are confident he will be able to build respect amongst business, tertiary sector and other stakeholder groups to successfully communicate the vision of the reforms and achieve change.

"Kaye Turner brings extensive New Zealand and international practical academic and management experience in the tertiary sector. Her combined legal and management background equips her well to be closely involved in the development of policy designed to effect sector and institutional change.

"Dr West and Ms Turner take up their positions this month. Once the permanent TEC is established it is intended to appoint Dr West and Ms Turner permanently into these roles," Steve Maharey said.

Attachments:

- Biographical information on Dr Andrew West and Associate Professor Kaye Turner

- Fact sheet: Role and functions of the Transition Tertiary Education Commission

Fact sheet: Biographical information on Dr Andrew West and Associate Professor Kaye Turner

Dr Andrew West

Andrew West was appointed Chief Executive of the New Zealand Qualifications Authority in March 2001, having previously held the position of Chief Executive of the Institute of Geological & Nuclear Sciences from 1997 to 2001.

He has extensive experience in the establishment and management of crown entities in the complex science and technology sector. As Manager of Policy for the Ministry of Research, Science & Technology (1990-1993) he convened the Ministerial Science Task Group during the largest redesign of the Government’s science base. During this time he also convened the CRI Implementation Steering Committee and served as an Advisor in the Ministerial Office of Minister of Research, Science & Technology and the Minister for Crown Research Institutes. This experience, at both governance and management levels, has enabled him to develop significant expertise in leading and managing large-scale sector reform that is directly relevant to the nature of the change that the TEC will be required to implement in the tertiary education sector.

Between 1993 and 1995 Dr West was Principal Advisor (CRI's) with holds the Crown Company Monitoring Advisory Unit.

Dr West is a past President of the Association of Crown Research Institutes (1999-2000) and is currently a Trustee of the Cawthorn Institute Board and two company directorships.

Associate Professor Kaye Turner

Kaye Turner was appointed Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) at the University of Waikato in February 1999, having earlier held the position of Pro Vice-Chancellor (Academic) (1997-1999).

Her academic background is in the law and she has lectured in New Zealand and overseas. She has acted as a consultant on many projects for the United Nations Development Programme and was previously a Research Officer with the Institute of Commonwealth Studies, University of London.

Ms Turner has an in-depth understanding of the university system from an academic and management perspective. She has broad experience working with a wide range of groups within the tertiary sector. Her legal, research, academic and management experience equips her well to understand the issues facing the tertiary education sector, and gives her the credibility to work with and lead change in the sector and guide the development of policy to effect change and implement the new tertiary education strategy.

Fact sheet: Role and functions of the Transition Tertiary Education Commission

The key role of the Transition Tertiary Education Commission (Transition TEC) is to establish the new Tertiary Education Commission announced in the Budget.

The Transition TEC will consist of a small board of 2 members, (Chair and Deputy Chair) with provision for a third member to be appointed later in the year, and a small secretariat.

The Transition TEC will report to the Associate Minister of Education (Tertiary Education) and act as:

- an “establishment board’ to oversee the establishment of the TEC, and

- an “advisory board’ to work on the further development of the Tertiary Education Strategy and an enhanced system of charters and profiles for all publicly funded providers and industry training organisations.

The members of the Transition TEC will maintain close contact with providers and students of tertiary education to ensure a common understanding of the purpose and objectives of the reforms and to ensure their views are heard in the process of change.

It is expected that the Tertiary Education Commission will be formally established as a stand-alone crown entity from 1 July 2002 and it is intended that Dr West and Ms Turner will be appointed to the Tertiary Education Commission upon its establishment.

The roles of Transition TEC will include:

- chairing a working party process on the development of charters and profiles. The working party will involve representatives from public and private providers and users of tertiary education. It will begin meeting in operating in August 2001;

- advise on the allocation of the Strategic Change Fund;

- working closely with the board and management of Skill New Zealand to plan and implement a process to integrate Skill New Zealand’s functions and responsibilities into the Tertiary Education Commission by mid 2002; and

- working closely with the Ministry of Education to ensure the smooth transfer to TEC of the Tertiary Resourcing Division, which is responsible for the administration of $1.5 billion of tertiary education funding.

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