Rate My Professor Kerry Shephard

Professor Kerry Shephard serves as Emeritus Professor of Higher Education Development at the University of Otago's Higher Education Development Centre (HEDC) in Dunedin, New Zealand. He holds a BSc and PhD, with an early research background in biological sciences, including the highly cited publication 'Functions for fish mucus' (1994). Prior to his emeritus status, Shephard was Professor and Director of the HEDC, contributing extensively to higher education policy and practice. His academic career includes positions such as Learning Technologies Coordinator at the University of Southampton before joining Otago. Shephard's research specializations encompass education for sustainability (EfS), education for sustainable development (ESD), academic identity, transformative learning and teaching, social purposes of universities, community engagement, critical thinking, and independent thinking in higher education.

Shephard has produced influential scholarly works that have shaped discussions in higher education and sustainability. Key books include 'Higher Education for Sustainability: Seeking Intellectual Independence in Aotearoa New Zealand' (2020), 'Universities with a Social Purpose: Intentions, Achievements and Challenges' (2023), and 'The Sustainability Tales: How University Teachers Could Make the World Better' (2024). Among his most cited journal articles are 'Higher education for sustainability: seeking affective learning outcomes' (2008), 'Questioning, promoting and evaluating the use of streaming video to support student learning' (2003), 'Who teaches academic integrity and how do they teach it?' (2015), 'Exploring what university teachers think about education for sustainability' (2013), 'Higher education's role in 'education for sustainability'' (2010), and 'Seeking learning outcomes appropriate for 'education for sustainable development' and for higher education' (2015). Additional contributions cover topics such as university teachers' perspectives on hybrid teaching, environmental literacy of students, and the impacts of research on teaching development. His publications demonstrate significant influence through high citation counts and engagement with global higher education challenges.