Professional standards for tertiary teachers: a synthesis of recent work and initiatives

This paper has been prepared to further the debate for the introduction of professional standards across the tertiary education sector in Aotearoa New Zealand. The debate regarding professional standards is a long-standing one and has been promoted by Ako Aotearoa throughout its 10-year existence. This reflects Ako Aotearoa's commitment to bringing about lasting change to enhance learner success. It is a debate that is growing internationally and is a trend that continues to strengthen. The objective of this paper is to further this debate. It has done so by exploring professionalism and its implications, by looking at initiatives that have been undertaken in other jurisdictions, and by considering the benefits and challenges of the establishment of a professional standards framework in Aotearoa New Zealand. The discussion is informed by the relevant papers and projects commissioned by Ako Aotearoa as well as papers and initiatives from an international context, primarily Australia and the United Kingdom. These have been reviewed and included in the project highlights section and the key themes tabulated.

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