Awards > Herbison Lecture > Dame Jean Herbison

Dame Jean Herbison

Jean Herbison was born in 1923. She gained a BA from the University of Canterbury, a Diploma of Teaching from Auckland Teachers College, and an MA from the University of Northern Iowa. She is an Associate of the University London Institute of Education. She has held a Fullbright Scholarship and an Imperial Relations Trust Fellowship.

Dame Jean taught at Avonside Girls High School from 1952 to 1959, and in 1960 became Dean of Christchurch Teachers' College. From 1968 to 1974 she was Vice-Principal of the Teachers College and in 1975 became Associate Director of the Christchurch Polytechnic, a position she held until her retirement in 1984. She was elected to the Council of the University of Canterbury in 1970 and was Chancellor of the University from 1970 until 1984 - the first woman to hold the post of chancellor at a New Zealand university.

Dame Jean was a member of the Board of the New Zealand Council for Educational Research from 1977 to 1988 and its Chairperson from 1986 to 1988. She was a member of the Ministerial Committee of Inquiry into Curriculum, Assessment and Qualifications in the Senior Secondary School, the University Grants Committee, the Commonwealth Council for Educational Administration (Vice-president 1982-1986), the New Zealand Vice-Chancellors Committee, and the Universities Review Panel (the Watts Committee).

Jean was a Fellow of the Commonwealth Council for Educational Administration and the New Zealand Educational Administration Society (now NZEALS), and was an Honorary Fellow of the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) and of the New Zealand Institute of Management.

In 1976 she was honoured by the Queen as a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George, and in 1977 she was awarded the Queen's Silver Jubilee Medal. In 1985 she was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire. In 1987 she was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Letters by the University of Canterbury.

Dame Jean Herbison died in 2007. Her obituary and achievements appeared in several national newspaper and university news.

» Obituary: Dame Jean Herbison, New Zealand Herald, 26 May 2007

» University remembers former chancellor, University of Canterbury, 21 May 2007

» First female university head dies, The Press, 21 May 2007