Change of role for creative arts leader

College of Creative Arts head Professor Sally Morgan will be stepping down as Pro Vice-Chancellor at the end of the year after almost eight years in the role.

Under Professor Morgan's leadership the college has been at the forefront of design, fine arts, visual and material culture, and music, helping define what makes New Zealand stand out internationally.

As a student, Professor Morgan won postgraduate scholarships to the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp and the Academy of the Visual Arts Frankfurt. She later studied history at Ruskin College under the influential social historian Raphael Samuel. She has pursued an international career as an artist, with more than 50 exhibitions to her name, and has presented works across the world in venues such as London’s ICA and leading galleries in Germany, France, Switzerland and the United States. Although primarily an artist, she has also made an impact through her international publications in the area of cultural history and popular culture.

As College of Creative Arts Pro Vice-Chancellor, Professor Morgan has been dedicated to facilitating and supporting an environment where research, teaching and learning are occupations pursued with enthusiasm and integrity. Early indications of the success of this strategy were a top ranking for design in the 2006 performance-based research funding scale. This year the college is celebrating 125 years of art and design in Wellington and next year it will open a new College of Creative Arts building on the campus providing a world-class venue for performances, screenings, lectures and seminars as well as the ability to attract postgraduate and international students.

Professor Morgan will step down at the end of the year, but will continue to make a contribution through research and teaching, and as the college's Director of Postgraduate Studies.