TTI welcomes Dr John Etty as incoming Academic Director

Wednesday 19 November 2025

The Teachers’ Institute (TTI) is delighted to announce the appointment of Dr John Etty as incoming Academic Director.

John is currently Associate Headmaster (Academic) at Auckland Grammar School, where he’s worked since 2012, but has also been supporting TTI part time as Secondary Programme Director since our inception.

John will be stepping up to his new role, which is a core part of the leadership team and ensures TTI’s teacher training programmes are academically sound, up-to-date, and aligned with standards, in April 2026.

CEO of The Teachers’ Institute, David Ferguson, said John’s academic rigour and practical teaching experience meant he was uniquely placed to take on the role.“

John holds a PhD in history and has extensive experience teaching, marking external examinations, and delivering professional development to teachers. His academic background and practical experience reflect the strengths of the TTI programme. We’re really fortunate to have John on board preparing the next generation of teachers.”

Farewell to our co-founder Dr Nina Hood

John will be replacing Dr Nina Hood, MNZM, our co-founder and current Academic Director, as Nina moves to Melbourne with her family.

David said Nina, who finishes in March 2026, would leave a permanent mark on the TTI offering, having co-founded TTI and designed and developed the academic programme from the ground up.

“Nina has always had a singular focus on creating and improving New Zealand’s education system so that every child has a chance to get what they need to flourish. We were exceptionally fortunate to have her skills and experience in developing the TTI offering. We believe the programme she has developed is first in class - uniquely preparing teachers to take their place in Kiwi classrooms. We wish Nina and her whānau all the best as they take their next steps.”

Dr Nina Hood will continue to support and be involved with The Teachers’ Institute as our offering grows.