Dr Wood left Invercargill in 1998 to attend the University of Otago, then he embarked on what became a lengthy overseas career spanning teaching, research and academic leadership.
After completing a PhD in International Trade at Sogang University in Seoul, he held academic roles at the Korea University of Technology and Education and Chungnam National University before moving to Singapore in 2018. There he joined James Cook University Singapore, later becoming Associate Professor of Economics, Associate Dean of Research and Director of the Centre for International Trade and Business in Asia.
Reflecting on his international experience, Dr Wood said exposure to some of Asia's most advanced education systems helped shape his approach to leadership and education.
"Working in Korea, you get exposed to very advanced levels of education. The South Korean and Singaporean education markets are incredibly developed."
His return to Southland in October 2025 marked the end of what he describes as a 25-year OE (overseas experience). "I always wanted to live abroad, but you never know it's going to be 25 years before you come back."
The move home was motivated by both lifestyle and opportunity. Dr Wood, his wife Haejin and their two children were ready for a change after eight years in Singapore.
Returning also offered Dr Wood an opportunity to contribute to SIT, where he has taken up roles as Head of Faculty for SIT Online and Director of Research and Development for SIT.
"Even though it's been a long time, I have always known how important SIT is to the local community." He says SIT has played a significant role in the city's development, particularly through the Zero Fees Scheme. "With Zero Fees, I know how SIT has helped to transform Invercargill."
He acknowledges the city he returned to is very different from the one he left.
"I've come back 25 years later and it's different. It's nowhere near like it was back then."
Today, SIT Online serves about 6,500 students and offers more than 70 qualifications to learners throughout New Zealand. He sees enormous potential in continuing to grow and strengthen the operation.
A key priority is ensuring programmes remain aligned with industry needs.
"We need to be offering qualifications that are relevant to what the needs are of industry, and we need to be offering qualifications that will leave our students job ready."
Dr Wood is also focused on creating engaging learning experiences for online students by working closely with programme teams, facilitators and instructional designers. "When you're studying online, you don't want to see screens of text. You don't want to just click on PDFs; you want to see visual cues and be engaged."
He believes online learning must continue evolving to meet student expectations while maintaining strong academic standards.
Another important focus is improving student completion rates through high-quality content and enhanced support services. "These learners are often at home. They don't have others around them, so we must do as much as we can to support them on their learning journey”.
Dr Wood said collaboration across SIT Online is central to achieving these goals and praised the people he works alongside. "I really want to emphasise just how much of a great team we have here." He also noted the diversity of the team. "I have staff from Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Malaysia, Australia, Chile, Pakistan and the Philippines. Just such a diverse team."
Looking ahead, Dr Wood wants to continue growing priority programme areas, maintain strong student numbers and develop new opportunities for learners.
"One big thing that we're working on and just started working on is a Doctor of Business Administration."
International partnerships also remain an important area of focus. Drawing on professional relationships built over his years in South Korea, Dr Wood has helped to lead efforts to establish a memorandum of understanding with one of the universities where he previously worked.
He believes New Zealand offers an appealing study destination for Korean students. "Korean students would love this part of the world,” and points to Southland's proximity to Queenstown, the Central Otago Lakes District and Milford Sound as attractions that resonate strongly with international learners.
While ambitious about the future of SIT Online, Dr Wood remains equally as positive about SIT as a whole. "I'm really optimistic about the future and I can see as an organisation we are on the right track."
He believes the institute's ongoing success is vital not only for education but for the wider region. "It's massively important, as an employer, as an educator, it does so much good for the community."