Open Polytechnic Welcomes Ministerial Appointments

Friday, 16 April 2010, 1:00 pm
Press Release: Open Polytechnic

Open Polytechnic Welcomes Ministerial Appointments to Council

The retiring Chair of the Open Polytechnic, Douglas Langford, has welcomed the announcement of new ministerial appointments to its Council by Steven Joyce, Minister of Tertiary Education.

The new appointments include Graeme Hall (Chair), Dr Alan Barker (Deputy Chair), Sue Duncan and Dr Ray Meldrum.

Dr Barker will also be Deputy Chair of the Councils of Whitireia Community Polytechnic and WelTec.

Mr Langford did not seek re-election to Council.

“I am very pleased to see the quality of the new Ministerial appointees and to have someone of Graeme’s experience and skills as the Polytechnic’s new Chair,” Mr Langford said.

“Having served on the Open Polytechnic Council for 12 years, the past 7 as Chair, I thought it was an appropriate time to step down. I would like to thank our current Council members for their support, commitment and contribution to the Open Polytechnic.”

Mr Langford said the Open Polytechnic was driving hard to strengthen its capability as a 21st Century flexible learning organisation.

“The organisation is committed to meeting the changing needs of part-time adult learners seeking to upskill themselves, and to working collaboratively with business, industry and other providers to provide cost-effective access to vocational learning at a national level.”

The Open Polytechnic’s non-ministerial Council members will be appointed by 1 May 2010.

The Open Polytechnic is New Zealand’s national provider of open and distance learning, enrolling an average of 25,000 part-time students each year. The majority of students are adult learners combining work and study, making the Open Polytechnic one of New Zealand’s major educators of people in the workforce.

ENDS

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