The Ako Aotearoa Professional Learning and Development (PLD) Programme

Ako Aotearoa ran a wide-ranging professional learning and development programme throughout New Zealand.

Our programme offered professional learning and development through workshops - both in-house and public, larger forums and smaller networking events – all focused on raising professional standards across the tertiary sector.

PLD Programme goals

Ako Aotearoa is committed to building educational capability to support learner success. Delivering high-quality, relevant, evidence-based professional learning and development (PLD) is an important contributor to this. We aimed to encourage and enable the growth of skilled, culturally capable educators, managers and support staff. 

Our goal is to help develop knowledge and skills and to improve the way we all work within the tertiary education sector.

We evaluated the impact of our professional development workshops and events on teaching practice, organisation culture, and learner outcomes.

Real change in teaching practice and learner outcomes

Ako Aotearoa's professional development programme was designed to help educators make changes to their teaching practice. Our workshops support kaiako to collect evidence that will demonstrate changes in learner outcomes.

Start your professional learning journey by reading our 'how to' guide on collecting and using evidence - A Tertiary Practitioner's Guide to Collecting Evidence of Learner Benefit. Written by New Zealand educationalist, Anne Alkema, the guide will help you reflect on and better understand your teaching practice.

Our commitment to quality outcomes

Our PLD programmes are based on evidence gained from the projects we co-fund, and other opportunities, and the best facilitators to share this knowledge.

Our participants had the opportunity to engage critically and thoroughly with key information that is:

• high-quality and evidence-based
• relevant to practitioners across the tertiary sector
• supportive of cultural diversity and capability building
• excellent value for money
• recognises new skills and knowledge with digital badges

A strategic review of PLD in New Zealand’s tertiary education sector

Professional learning and development (PLD) is central to maintaining teaching excellence, equity of learner outcomes, and future readiness in the tertiary sector. 

In response to the evolving needs of Aotearoa New Zealand’s tertiary sector, Ako Aotearoa commissioned a strategic review of professional learning and development (PLD) across the sector. The resulting report, developed through extensive consultation with over 40 tertiary education organisations (TEOs) - offers a timely and comprehensive overview of the most pressing PLD needs, barriers to participation, and future opportunities.

Download the report |  Professional learning and development in Aotearoa New Zealand’s tertiary education sector - A strategic review by Ako Aotearoa

September 2025
Report prepared for Ako Aotearoa by Dr Linda Keesing-Styles and Jane Terrell
PDF, 153Kb