Te Wānanga o Aotearoa CEO Dr Jim Mather’s time at the helm of the second largest tertiary provider in New Zealand will end in October this year after announcing he will not seek a contract extension.

Dr Mather was previously Māori Television CEO and was appointed Te Wānanga o Aotearoa CEO in 2013.

Te Mana Whakahaere (TMW), the council of Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, was considering Dr Mather’s re-appointment.

However, Dr Mather has advised that after careful consideration and discussions with his partner, he had decided, specifically for family reasons, not to seek re-appointment.

TMW Chairperson Vanessa Eparaima said she was thankful for Dr Mather’s approach to notifying the council of the decision and his leadership of Te Wānanga o Aotearoa.

"Under Dr Mather's leadership, we have achieved substantial progress to consolidate and achieve our vision of whānau transformation through education."

"As a result of his notice we have been given ample time to establish a robust process to find the very best chief executive to lead the wānanga forward."

Dr Mather remains dedicated to the role, as an extensive search for a new CEO is carried out.

"I'm committed to giving my all to leading Te Wānanga o Aotearoa until my contract concludes in October. However, my passion and commitment for the wānanga will never end."