Ward went on to gain a Masters from Reading University in 1973-75, with his degree show being hung by Terry Frost and Patrick Heron, before being awarded scholarships to continue his studies in both Athens (Ecole des Kalon Technon) and Rome (Academia di Belle Arti). After a short time spent back in northern England, Ward moved to Australia to take up the position of Programme Coordinator for Sculpture at University of Newcastle, New South Wales. His sculptural work became more expansive without sacrificing any of his previous order and consideration of form, balance and poise. Simultaneously, the discovery of a ceramic-coated paper called Kromecoat added to the evolution of Ward's drawing and painting, creating works that spanned both disciplines and fell somewhere in between.
In 1982 he moved back to North East England, initially working as Senior Lecturer in Sculpture at Humberside Polytechnic in Hull before moving to Hebden Bridge in West Yorkshire. Ward continued Senior Lecturing positions at West Glamorgan Institute of Higher Education and then at Bretton Hall, University of Leeds. A significant exhibition, organised by the Henry Moore Centre, at Leeds City Art Gallery followed in 1989. The show was in part a retrospective but also comprised a newly realised body of sculpture.
His work sits in communion with artists such as Tony Cragg, Carl Plackman, David Nash, Richard Deacon and Michael Lyons.