Outstanding tertiary teachers acknowledged

Prime Minister Helen Clark presented Otago University pathologist Dr Peter Schwartz with the supreme award at the 2003 Tertiary Teaching Excellence Awards ceremony at Parliament this evening.

Thirty-four academics from eight tertiary institutions were presented with awards at the ceremony. The awards celebrate excellence in tertiary teaching, promote good teaching practice and enhance career development for tertiary teachers.

Associate Professor of Pathology Dr Peter Schwartz from the University of Otago won the $30,000 supreme award. Awards worth $20,000 were presented for tertiary teachers showing sustained excellence, excellence in collaboration, and excellence in innovation awards. Award winners can use the prize money to enhance their teaching career and promote best practice amongst their colleagues.

Helen Clark said the awards are an important element of the government’s aim to enhance the quality of tertiary education.

“These awards recognise excellence in tertiary teachers and the contribution they are making to New Zealand, and inspire others to lift their own teaching practice.

“Great teachers have an important enabling effect on their students. They convey to them the gift of learning and enable them to continue building their skills across a lifetime. Today New Zealanders must be life-long learners if we are to adapt and embrace the challenges and changes the 21st century brings.

“The group of award winners selected this year are of a very high calibre and highlight the strength of the staff of New Zealand’s tertiary institutions,” Helen Clark said.

Steve Maharey said winners of the inaugural 2002 awards spent the $210,000 they received in prize money last year on equipment, and research, and on attending conferences so that they could enhance their knowledge and find new ways to share it with students.

“As was the case last year a booklet detailing the teaching approaches, experiences and methodologies of tonight’s recipients will be published later this year and distributed widely throughout the tertiary education sector.

“I congratulate the winners and encourage all tertiary staff to emulate their example. These annual awards have become a prestigious addition to the tertiary education calendar and reflect well on both the award winners and their institutions,” Steve Maharey said.

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