About the Australian Centre for Educational Leadership

The Centre is administered by a Director who reports to the Dean of the Faculty of Education, University of Wollongong. An Advisory Committee comprising major stakeholder representatives provides advice in regard to the Centre's direction and policy. A group of Honorary Distinguished Advisors also serve the Centre. Click on the following link to review the Centre's mission statement.

Located in the Faculty of Education at the University of Wollongong, the Centre, was established in 2001 following extensive consultations with professional associations and key stakeholders in the South Coast Illawarra region. The establishment of the centre recognises the vital link between quality educational leadership and quality schooling informed by good practice sound research and relevant and credible professional development and training. Click on the following link to review the Centre's governance and structure.

As a part of its mandate, the centre networks with key education stakeholders and especially the NSW Department of Education and Training, the Diocese of Wollongong's Catholic Education Office, various principals' and professional associations, education alumni and other providers of professional development and training in school leadership.

To ensure these linkages and promote best practice in educational leadership, the centre:

• collaborates with other similar centres nationally and internationally
• encourages the visitation of high profile local and international scholars in educational leadership
• promotes research to further the practice of educational leadership
• arranges courses of study, conferences, research activities and workshops
• publishes materials to promote educational leadership
• liaises with other organisations' systems of education, professional groups and government
• makes representations in regard to educational leadership
• markets educational leadership activities, and
• supports the development of frameworks for excellence in school leadership.

Although the centre has an obvious (and necessary) regional and organisational connection with the University of Wollongong of which, it is in a legal sense a part, its principle purpose and focus is that of a national and international advocate to promote to government, industry and the community at large the inherent value and importance of educational leadership for the ultimate benefit of all Australians.

The Centre offers associate memberships that enable you to network with leading practitioners and researchers in the field, receive discounted registration fees, and more. Click here for further information about Associate Memberships.

Activities & Research Areas

The activities of the centre include:

• A major annual International Conference on Educational Leadership
• Regular professional development workshops
• Breakfast seminars
• Newsletters
• International visitors, e.g., Thailand, United States and Canada.

Stakeholder groups review activities and formal courses to ensure their relevance and credibility.