Open Polytechnic Chief Executive Shona Butterfield has been appointed to the Tertiary Education Advisory Commission (TEAC), Associate Education (Tertiary Education) Minister Steve Maharey said today.

The tertiary education think tank was established in April 2000 to advise the Government on strategic issues confronting the sector. The Government has since accepted the Commission's advice to reorganise the regulatory and funding arrangement for the entire post-school education sector with the establishment a new permanent Tertiary Education Commission. TEAC is currently preparing advice on tertiary education and research priorities and a new funding model which enables resources to be allocated in a more strategic way.

Mr Maharey said Ms Butterfield was being appointed to replace Hutt Valley Polytechnic Chief Executive Dr Linda Sissons who has asked to stand down from the Commission due to work pressures associated with the establishment of the new Wellington Institute of Technology. He said Ms Butterfield's extensive knowledge of tertiary education issues, and her particular expertise in open learning methods, would be an asset to the Commission.

"Shona Butterfield brings considerable talents and expertise to the Commission.

"She has participated in a wide range of educational taskforces, has long-standing management experience in the polytechnic sector and is currently the New Zealand representative on the Board of Governors for the Commonwealth of Learning which promotes distance education throughout the Commonwealth.

"In the coming months TEAC is working on the key regulatory and funding tools which the Government and the sector will use to bring a greater strategic focus to our tertiary education sector. The Government is very fortunate to have secured someone of the calibre of Shona Butterfield as the Commission works through these issues," Steve Maharey said.

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