Professor Michael Peters - BA, BA (Hons), MA, PhD, FRSA
Michael Peters completed undergraduate and graduate training at Victoria and Canterbury universities with degrees in geography and philosophy, subsequently graduating with a PhD in the philosophy of education from The University of Auckland in 1984.
After completing his PhD, which focused on Ludwig Wittgenstein, Michael established a strong collaborative research and writing relationship with Dr James Marshall, his former doctoral supervisor.
The 25-year collaboration involved co-authoring theoretical texts on education, public policy and philosophy, as well as a number of significant research projects, including working with teachers of Maori in Tai Tokerau (Northland), the State Services Commission, and the Ombudsman's Office.
The research with Maori was later showcased by New Zealand government at the United Nations. It was transformative not only in its achievements for Maori, but also for the researchers, who developed ongoing relationships and came to understand the nature of genuine bi-cultural research that help to service a community. One research project that Michael co-directed, which focused on the retention of Maori students, later became the basis for national youth forums.
Michael was appointed to a personal chair in Education at the University in 2000. later that year, he was appointed to the position of Research Professor at Glasgow University. This latter role, in a newly-merged Faculty of Education, focused on the provision of research leadership and assistance to build the research culture.
Michael held a joint position at Glasgow and Auckland for three years, returning to New Zealand for three months every year to supervise his Auckland-based PhD students and teach summer school. In 2004 he took up a permanent appointment at Glasgow, and in 2005 was offered an appointment at the College of Education at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
With his wife, fellow graduate Tina Besley, Michael moved to Champaign, which is located approximately two hours from Chicago. His position will allow him to spend three months of the year in New Zealand, where the couple have family.
