With a BSc in Computer Science & Economics and other important industry and professional qualifications (Project Management Professional - PMP, Certified Scrum Master, Certified Group Facilitator), Richard is a results-orientated professional with a sound commercial background of over 30 years in a wide variety of different industries. He has worked with small, medium sized companies and big corporates in New Zealand and overseas as a project manager, business trainer and facilitator.
Richard, who just joined AUT in September 2009, will take you on a personal journey describing how the new AUT Campus in Manukau was successfully opened within a very tight time frame to more than 400 students for semester one 2010. This required a unique collaboration between building development, academic planning, student and administrative services planning, recruitment and enrolment. Despite the limitations of having to adapt existing corporate office buildings, AUT introduced innovations and new approaches to student learning such as flexible blended learning classrooms, collaborative social learning spaces, video conferencing, Dual-boot computer labs, kiosks for student top-ups, video conferencing and a wireless netbook loan-to-buy scheme. Teaching programmes were established in consultation with the university’s faculties, and through a major programme of community engagement with all sectors of the regional community including schools, ethnic groups and local business, linking closely with employment opportunities in South Auckland. As you can imagine, nearly the whole of the University was involved as internal stakeholders to the project. So, how did we work together, collaborate, share, connect and communicate as a team for success?