Former principal appointed Dean of Education

MEDIA RELEASE

6 November 2006

Former principal appointed Victoria Dean of Education

The last chief executive and principal of the Wellington College of Education has been appointed as Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education) and Dean of Education at Victoria University of Wellington.

Professor Dugald Scott has been appointed to the role, effective from 1 January 2007.

As a part of the transitional provisions of the merger with the Wellington College of Education, Professor Scott was appointed as the inaugural Pro Vice-Chancellor and Dean for the two-year post merger period, after which an international recruitment search was undertaken

Professor Scott played a significant role in negotiating the strategic partnership between Victoria and the College signed in 2001 that saw College general staff transfer to University employment and the two institutions launch a new conjoint teacher education programmes. He also was deeply involved in developing the business case that convinced the Government of the benefits of the merger.

Since the merger in January 2005, Professor Scott has worked to ensure the smooth transition of the former College’s academic staff into the University’s research and teaching environment, with the creation of a new structure in the Faculty and several other key appointments and initiatives. In 2006, he was appointed as the inaugural Chair of the New Zealand Council of Deans of Education.

Vice-Chancellor, Professor Pat Walsh, said Professor Scott’s appointment would allow him to continue the University’s vision for the future of teacher education.

“Professor Scott’s work, both before and after the merger, has been driven by a shared vision that New Zealand needs early childhood, primary and secondary teachers who have been educated in the research-led learning environment of a university. Professor Scott, both as College principal and more recently as Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education) has played a significant role in a series of initiatives that are transforming teacher education in New Zealand. These include an online teacher education programme, the innovative four-year conjoint teacher education programmes and a series of initiatives to increase the College’s research capability.”

As Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education), Professor Scott is a member of the University’s Senior Management Team reporting to the Vice-Chancellor and is the line manager for Heads of Te Kura Māori and the Schools of Education Studies, Early Childhood Teacher Education and Primary & Secondary Teacher Education. As Dean of Education, he convenes the Faculty of Education Board and is responsible for the Faculty’s academic programmes.

Prior to joining Victoria in 2005, Professor Scott had been College Principal since 1996 after a number of years as a teacher, policy analyst and lecturer. He has a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Educational Studies and a Master of Arts in education from Victoria and a Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching from the College.

ENDS

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