Appointment to Education NZ Board announced

Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce today announced a further appointment to the Education New Zealand Board.

John Morris has been appointed as a member of the Education New Zealand Board. He replaces Ms Elizabeth Valintine whose term with the board expired on 31 August 2012.

“Mr Morris brings substantial educational knowledge, leadership experience, and international education experience to the role of board member,” Mr Joyce says.

Education New Zealand was established in 2011 to support and encourage international education. International education is New Zealand’s fifth largest export earner, contributing more than $2 billion to the economy and supporting about 32,000 jobs.

Biographical details of John Morris:

John Morris was appointed Headmaster at Auckland Grammar School in July 1993 and served in this role until recently. Prior to his role with Auckland Grammar, he was Principal of Takapuna Grammar School for nearly four years.

Mr Morris is founding Chairman of the Association of Cambridge Schools in New Zealand, a former Chairman of the Education Forum, an education lobby group and think-tank, and was a member of the University of Auckland Council for seven years. He is currently on the advisory panel for the new Pre-U qualification just introduced in the United Kingdom by University of Cambridge International Exams.

In 1999 he was awarded a Woolf Fisher Fellowship for Outstanding Educational Leadership. He is a frequent speaker at various educational forums, most recently in Westminster speaking on New Zealand education reform and at the New South Wales Principals' Council Conference speaking on leadership in the New Zealand state school.

As well as a strong academic background, Mr Morris also represented New Zealand in soccer and was Chairman of New Zealand Soccer between 2002 and 2008. He was also a long-serving member of the FIFA Technical and Development Committee.