Posted on 9 December 2024
Four Open Polytechnic Academic Staff Members Dr Fi McAlevey (Early Childhood Education) Dr Lynnette (Lynne) Brice (Initial Teacher Education), Dr Neeru Choudhary (Management and Economics), and Dr Shilpa Jain (Management and Economics) were recently promoted to the distinguished position of Principal Academic Staff Member.
Open Polytechnic Executive Director Alan Cadwallader congratulated kaimahi (staff) on their promotions in this year’s formal Academic Staff Member promotion round.
“It is particularly gratifying to see that we have again this year been able to recognise the outstanding accomplishments of so many of our academic staff members through the promotions process,” he says.
Open Polytechnic, New Zealand’s specialist online distance learning tertiary education organisation, also celebrated a further ten kaimahi who were promoted to Senior Academic Staff Members during the same promotions round including Dr Muhammad Arslan, Dr Sandy Radford, Dr Donna Williamson-Garner, Dr Negin Imani, Anita Nicholls, Bronwyn Murdoch, Tania Cumming, Melanie Baynes, Mary Wong and Lalitha Jonnavithula.
Open Polytechnic Acting Executive Director Learning Delivery and Chair of this year’s evaluation panel, Andrew McCulloch, says the panel this year “reviewed many applicants from across our academic portfolio, representing the full spectrum of our certificate to degree-level provision.”
Principal Academic Staff Member Dr Fi McAlevey says, she is grateful to have her contributions acknowledged through this promotion. “It’s recognition of the wonderful support I have as part of the Early Childhood Education (ECE) team at Open Polytechnic.” 
Dr Fi McAlevey
"What I enjoy most about working at Open Polytechnic is the time spent working with my colleagues. The work I do alongside my colleagues to support ākonga (learners), and the support I receive to carry out research with my colleagues from Open Polytechnic, and others from the wider Initial Teacher Education (ITE) and ECE communities, has helped me to achieve in this role.”
She says she is looking forward to exploring research alongside a colleague from the ECE team, with children and families who have English as an additional language, and the teachers who work with them.
Andrew says, that as degree leader “Fi has provided significant academic leadership, guiding her team through change with quiet confidence and clarity. She consistently demonstrates excellence in both teaching and research, setting a high standard in the field of ECE."
Principal Academic Staff Member Lynne Brice says she is very grateful for all the opportunities that Open Polytechnic has given her and is equally grateful for this role.
Dr Lynne Brice
“To me it’s recognition of the mahi that has gone before, but also an exciting opportunity to be more active and hopefully influential in the development of our online pedagogy and in research.”
“I’m inspired daily by the efforts of ākonga seeking transformation through learning. Working in Initial Teacher Education is a huge privilege, we have a wonderful team dedicated to the development of a new generation of teachers who in turn will transform the lives of others.”
Andrew says Lynne is a dedicated champion for equity and inclusion. "She is known for her innovative and driven approach, and she has consistently implemented strategies to improve the engagement and success of priority ākonga.”
Principal Academic Staff Member Dr Neeru Choudhary says, being promoted to Principal Academic Staff Member is both rewarding and motivating. “It’s incredibly encouraging to have my contributions recognised, and it reaffirms my commitment to my professional journey with Open Polytechnic. This recognition energises me to set new career goals and continue contributing to our academic community.” 
Dr Neeru Choudhary
Neeru says she is looking forward to expanding collaborative opportunities and conducting research that delivers high-impact results. “My goal is to contribute more widely across organisational committees and projects, providing strategic direction and thought leadership. By utilising my skills and experience, I hope to support initiatives that enhance course quality and development processes.”
Andrew highlights Neeru as an influential figure in the Business Management team. “Her research addresses critical challenges in the field, and her leadership of the Applied Business Research Community of Practice fosters collaboration and knowledge sharing. Achieving Chartered Academic Membership with HRNZ recently further reflects her expertise and influence in human resources.”
Principal Academic Staff Member Dr Shilpa Jain says, “it feels exceptionally rewarding and humbling to receive the promotion, it is an honour, and it is validation and recognition of over two decades of academic leadership and excellence. This is a huge milestone in my professional career aided by immense support and guidance received from numerous wonderful people during my journey.”
Dr Shilpa Jain
As a Principal Academic Staff Member Shilpa says she is “keen to actively advance organisational and academic initiatives including to innovate and create positive learning experiences and outcomes for ākonga, build meaningful collaborations in research and teaching practices, create and disseminate insightful knowledge and practices, and enhance partnerships with industry and local community including tangata whenua, Māori Business, iwi, hapū, and NGO’s.
Andrew says Shilpa is a leader in research excellence and a dedicated contributor to the growth of Open Polytechnic research culture. “Shilpa uses her academic standing to enhance our organisation’s reach through active stakeholder partnerships and roles with organisations like the Flexible Learning Association of New Zealand (FLANZ) and Human Resources New Zealand (HRNZ).”