Hon Pete Hodgson
Minister for Tertiary Education

16 July 2008
Embargoed to 6.30pm Media Release

Outstanding Tertiary Teaching Celebrated

This year’s Tertiary Teaching Excellence Award recipients form an extraordinarily high calibre and motivated group of teachers, Tertiary Education Minister Pete Hodgson said tonight.

Hosting the awards event at Parliament, Pete Hodgson said, “It is a real pleasure to see recognition for excellence in Tertiary teaching. Between them these ten people influence the learning of thousands of students and their excellence is therefore hugely valuable for New Zealand.”

Ten awards were handed out to nationwide winners from a pool of 23 nominees. Each receives a prize of $20,000, with a supreme winner receiving $30,000. This year the Prime Minister’s Supreme Award went to Dr Lisa Emerson, Senior Lecturer, School of English and Media Studies, Massey University.

“Research tells us that the quality of engagement and interaction between student and teacher is one of the most important components of successful learning,” Pete Hodgson said.

“No matter what their area of expertise these winners are committed, knowledgeable, enthusiastic and expert in their chosen discipline. They have much to teach and share with us. “

Ako Aotearoa, the National Centre for Tertiary Teaching Excellence, run the awards on behalf of the government. Each year one Prime Minister’s Supreme Award and up to nine Sustained Excellence awards are presented to teachers in the tertiary education sector

Pete Hodgson thanked the outgoing Chair of the Award’s committee - Emeritus Professor Graeme Fraser.

“Professor Fraser is thoroughly experienced and an outstanding teacher in his own right. He has made a pivotal contribution to the awards since their inception,” Pete Hodgson said.

A list of the nine academic staff receiving Sustained Excellence awards is attached.

ENDS

Those receiving 2008 Sustained Excellence Awards are:

• Dr Hamish Anderson, Department of Economics and Finance, Massey University.

• Julia Bruce, Hairdressing Tutor, Centre for Hairdressing and Beauty Therapy, Wintec.

• Dr Dawn Garbett, Associate Dean Teaching and Learning, Faculty of Education, University of Auckland.

• Professor John Hosking, Professor of Applied Computer Science, Department of Computer Science, University of Auckland.

• Dr Ian McAndrew, Senior Lecturer in Employment Relations, Department of Management, School of Business, University of Otago.

• Dr John Reynolds, Senior Lecturer, Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, University of Otago.

• Dr Sean Waver, School of Geography, Environment and Earth Science at Victoria University of Wellington.

• Dr Marc Wilson, School of Psychology, Victoria University of Wellington

• Adrian Woodhouse, Catering Lecturer, Otago Polytechnic

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