Waiariki Institute of Technology, which has a base at Bay of Plenty Polytechnic's Windermere campus, is expected to announce its new chief executive officer next month.
Acting chief executive Keith Ikin said the recruitment drive had been a combined effort between a Waiariki Institute of Technology Council sub-committee and a recruitment company.
There were 77 applications from all over the world which had been reduced to a shortlist of four. Interviews have been under way this month with the top two candidates to have a further interview.
A decision and announcement would be made in May with the new chief executive starting in June.
Mr Ikin took over in February from the previous acting chief executive John Snook who had been in the role since Pim Borren's departure in October 2011.