Gordon Sanderson, who has taught ophthalmology at the Dunedin School of Medicine since his arrival from England in 1972, was given the ''supreme award'' for teaching excellence, along with $30,000 at the annual Tertiary Teaching Excellence Awards in Parliament last night.
In his acceptance speech, Associate Prof Sanderson said teaching was the poor relation to research, but that excellence in teaching often led to excellence in research.
Speaking to the Otago Daily Times before travelling to Wellington, he said staff wanting to ''get ahead'' needed to focus on research at the expense of teaching.
''If you ... want promoted, don't waste your time teaching. The university is not very enthusiastic about teaching. They are much more interested in research and they reward their staff for good research.
''That to me is wrong, but that's the current environment.''
Earlier this year, he was sent a letter from vice-chancellor Prof Harlene Hayne telling him he would not be getting a biennial performance increment (pay rise), only to get a letter from her about a month ago congratulating him for being one of three lecturers to be given an internal university teaching excellence award.
''I am going to frame them [the letters] side by side,'' he said.
The university's research focus meant experienced members of staff - who made the best teachers - often did not have time to teach.
''Unfortunately, with this environment, they are flicking the teaching off to the younger staff, saying `I haven't got time; don't bother me I am too busy writing my book or writing a paper'.
''As a result, the quality of teaching is suffering,'' he said.
This attitude towards teaching at the university had been around for some time and the way research was funded through the Performance-Based Research Fund (PBRF) was partly to blame.
''I think the PBRF has set the scene, but I also believe that there is not a great enthusiasm for teaching.''
Prof Sanderson was also critical of the Southern District Health Board for the way it merely ''tolerated'' the School of Medicine, rather than taking full advantage of it.
''I think there is a huge opportunity for Otago to distinguish itself and single itself out as a true teaching hospital.
''If you had a serious problem and you wanted to go to America to get it fixed, you would go to a teaching hospital, because they are the best.''
Dunedin had the opportunity to replicate that and rather than being called Dunedin Hospital, it could be called the ''Dunedin Teaching Hospital''.
The Southern District Health Board could not be contacted for comment last night.
An Otago University spokeswoman declined to comment last night on Prof Sanderson's remarks.
However, Prof Hayne warmly congratulated Prof Sanderson for his award.
''We are delighted that Gordon has been recognised with this award. He's an inspiration to us all and we are privileged that he has dedicated over four decades of his career to his students here at Otago.''
Prof Hayne said it was the fourth time in 11 years that a lecturer at the university had won the award and no other New Zealand university had done that.
Despite criticising the university, Prof Sanderson, speaking when he was aware he was getting an award but did not know it was the ''supreme award'', said he was ''very grateful'' to the people who ''coaxed'' him into applying.
Getting an award was a nice way to round off more than 40 years of teaching students, which was a job he loved.
Asked why he had chosen to speak out now, he said: ''I think at my age, after more than 40 years, I am entitled to a few opinions.
''I don't want to sound ungracious, but I [want to] use this as an example of why you need to spend all your time doing research if you are going to get ahead.''
Ako Aotearoa director and member of the awards committee Peter Coolbear said Prof Sanderson epitomised sustained tertiary teaching excellence.
''His passion for his discipline is infectious. He cares deeply about both his specialty and the patients in his care and shares his genuine excitement about his work with his students,'' Dr Coolbear said.
Prof Sanderson last night, after receiving the supreme award from Prime Minister John Key and being given a standing ovation, said he was ''blown away'' by the honour.
Ten awards, including the supreme award, for ''sustained excellence in tertiary teaching'' were presented last night.
