Flinders University is welcoming the arrival this week of Professor Lindsey Conner as Dean of the School of Education.

The internationally renowned education policy expert joins Flinders from the University of Canterbury in New Zealand where she held a number of leadership positions, most recently as Director of the Science and Technology Education Research hub.

She has previously led the seven country Pacific Circle Consortium project on Teacher Education for the Future and was the NZ co-ordinator for the OECD Innovative Learning Environments Project.

Professor Conner has won the NZ Association of Research in Education Award, the Monash University Post Graduate Award and the Ministry of Education International Travel Award.

Executive Dean Professor Richard Maltby applauded her appointment to Flinders University, acknowledging Professor Conner’s strong career pathway.

“Professor Conner’s extensive experience as a teacher, educator and researcher at a local and international level is highly regarded,” Professor Maltby says.

“Her expertise has global reach; she was invited to consult to Japan’s Ministry of Education and National Institute of Educational Policy Research on infusing competencies across curriculums, and has consulted on the development of teaching standards for the Southeast Asia Ministries of Education Organisation.”

Professor Conner’s specialised areas of research include science education, early childhood research, learning environments, teaching in higher education, the use of ICT in science and developing innovative pedagogy.

“Professor Conner understands the impact that education can have on transforming lives and extending potential; it is her ongoing objective to promote more effective and innovative learning,” Professor Maltby says.

“I welcome Professor Conner to the University and look forward to the impact that she will have on empowering our students to strive for excellence and gain the most from their education,” he says.