PHILLIP KER
Cromwell
ONZM for services to tertiary education
Education is more than just a career for Phillip Ker — it is a pathway to making a difference.
"I’ve travelled extensively ... and the attitude to education is the same the world over — it’s the pathway to betterment," he said.
"If you offer the right learning it makes the difference to peoples lives."
From teaching through to student support and then 16 years as Otago Polytechnic chief executive, Mr Ker’s understanding of the tertiary sector is better than most.
Under his leadership from 2004-20, Otago Polytechnic transformed its performance, achieving financial stability and improving educational outcomes for learners.
The polytechnic gained a reputation for innovation through initiatives such as the EduBits micro-credentialling service and CapableNZ, which help people gain NZQA credits for learning from work experience.
In 2018 Otago Polytechnic was awarded New Zealand’s first Baldrige-affiliated Performance Excellence Study Award.
Mr Ker’s leadership extended nationally and internationally as founding board member and deputy chairman of Ako Aotearoa, the national centre for tertiary teaching excellence, and chairman of two workstreams to establish Te Pukenga, New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology.
He also represented New Zealand on the board of the World Federation of Colleges and Polytechnics, and was a director of Te Tapuae o Rehua, a partnership to improve Maori educational success.
Mr Ker said he was "surprised" to be recognised for his work.
"It’s pretty special because I’ve had an entire work life in education."
