The Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) has appointed of Mark Grant as its new CEO, following a “comprehensive national and international” search.
Grant will join AITSL from mid-April, having most recently held the position of executive director, leadership and high performance at the NSW Education Department.
Former CEO, Lisa Rodgers, left the Institute in January to take up the position of secretary at the Department of Education and Training in Western Australia. Deputy CEO, Edmund Misson, has been acting CEO up until Grant’s appointment.
During Grant’s tenure as principal at three NSW schools, he drove improvement initiatives to benefit student growth and outcomes, and most recently led complex, integrated strategic work for the NSW public school system.
This has included school improvement measures; teacher quality, induction, professional development and leadership support for all school-based staff; and needs-based funding budgets to all schools.
AITSL Board Chair, Laureate Professor John Hattie, said the skills and experience Grant brings to the role will “greatly benefit AITSL, the teaching profession and, ultimately, the students of Australia”.
“The recruitment process for a new AITSL CEO attracted many excellent candidates and we are delighted to have secured a CEO of Mark’s calibre,” Laureate Professor Hattie said.
“We are confident Mark will build on AITSL’s excellent reputation and relationships as we continue working with the federal government, as well as all state and territory governments, education systems and sectors, and others, to empower teachers and school leaders to have the maximum impact on the learning of students nationally.”
Laureate Professor Hattie thanked Misson as well as the AITSL executive and staff who he said have continued delivering on the Institute’s important program of work.
Grant said he is looking forward to working closely with the AITSL Board and executive, and the AITSL team, to lead, initiate and build on AITSL’s achievements, driving national education reform to secure a high-quality education system on par with international standards.
“I have a deep commitment to making a broad and significant contribution to education, and I am looking forward to making a difference to the lives of children and young people across the nation,” he said.