A four-member council was confirmed at an extraordinary meeting on Thursday, ahead of the polytechnic’s return to autonomy next year.
After the meeting, chairman John Gallaher said the council was pleased to have started "what will be quite a complicated process".
"We’re really pleased to be getting our sleeves rolled up and getting under way."
On Tuesday, Vocational Education Minister Penny Simmonds announced the membership of the council, replacing an establishment advisory group which made "in principle" decisions following sector reform and disestablishment of centralised model Te Pūkenga.
The three former advisory group members — Mr Gallaher, Rowena Davenport (deputy chairwoman) and Scott Mason — and former polytechnic community adviser Mike Collins make up the council.
Three more members would be appointed next year.
From January 1, the polytechnic will be part of a new federation alongside the Universal College Of Learning and anchored by the Open Polytechnic of New Zealand.
People had told Mr Gallaher they were pleased the polytechnic had returned to the Otago community, he said.
"This has actually been a very complex process and still will be for quite some time."
"But the idea is we get it back and operating effectively inside this community and in this part of the world — that’s our long-term aim."
Mrs Davenport said the council had kaitiaki [guardian] roles for those pleased to see the polytechnic back in the community.
The council oversees the polytechnic’s overarching strategy and direction.
It would continue the advisory group’s recruitment process for a chief executive of the polytechnic entity.
Chief executive Megan Pōtiki’s resignation was announced this week; she will leave the organisation on December 31.
Members were appointed in line with the Education and Training Act and were accountable to the Minister for Vocational Education.
