Professor David Battersby has a first class Honours degree and a PhD from the University of Waikato in New Zealand and a Masters degree in Higher Education from the University of New South Wales.
Prior to his appointment as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ballarat in July 2006, he held various senior appointments at Charles Sturt University in New South Wales over nearly two decades. These included the positions of Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Head of Campus and Dean of Faculty.
Professor Battersby also worked in New Zealand at Massey University for a period of eight years. He is the recipient of awards from the Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Scheme, the Commonwealth Relations Trust, the Australian-Japan Foundation and the British Council. He has undertaken consultancies for UNESCO and the OECD and a number of government agencies.
Speaking On:
Successful regional tertiary education
Panel Discussion: Ensuring collaboration in teaching & learning
Ann Doolette is the Executive Director of the Australian Qualifications Framework Council. In this role she provides strategic leadership for the AQF and strategic support for the AQF Council in achieving its terms of reference. She was appointed to this position in May 2008 to establish the office for the newly formed national Council.
Prior to her current position, for 8 years she was a Director in the South Australian Government responsible for quality assurance of education and training providers and qualifications in the vocational education and training and higher education through both regulation and educational support strategies. Ann has worked in the post-compulsory education and training sector for the past 28 years in a variety of roles, including leadership roles, policy development and quality assurance, as well as teaching, developing curricula and learning resources. Over the years, she has played a role in shaping national education and training policy directions and has served on and supported national committees in the education and training sector at the highest level.
Ann has a number of academic qualifications including a Master of Education. She is an Executive Fellow of the Australian and New Zealand School of Government and a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Speaking On:
Embedding the Australian Qualifications Framework in the qualifications system
Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, VIC
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Michelle Canny is the Manager of Tertiary Education Projects in the Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood Development. During 2011 Michelle worked with Professor Kwong Lee on the development of a tertiary education plan for outer south eastern Melbourne and for Gippsland. Prior to this Michelle has worked in a range of policy management positions in Skills Victoria, within the budget and public private partnership divisions at NSW Treasury and early in her career, within commercial marketing and corporate treasury at Shell Australia.
Michelle holds a Bachelor of Economics from Monash University and a Master of Commerce from the University of Sydney.
Speaking On:
Case Study: Increasing engagement & participation in outer suburban Melbourne & Gippsland
Adrian Marron is the Chief Executive Officer of the CANBERRA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (CIT), the largest vocational education and training institution in the Australian capital, with more than 23,0000 students’ annually providing programs and services in a wide range of disciplines.
Adrian joined CIT in early 2010 from his role as Managing Director, TAFE SA- Adelaide North Institute, South Australia. where he had responsibility for providing effective leadership to the largest of the three
He has an extensive background in the education and training sector, including experience in schools, colleges and universities.
He has been in TAFE for nearly 20 years all his Australian working life.
Adrian’s work experience which is varied also includes 3 years drilling for Oil in the North Sea in the 1970’s and 4 years in a brewery in PNG prior to coming to Australia.
Adrian has contributed to a number of policy debates at the State and National level and has spoken at a number of international conferences and events. He is a Fellow of the Australian College of Educators, a board member of the TAFE Directors Association, a fellow of the Australian Institute of Management. He was until recently the TDA representative on the national Quality Council. He has gained a sophisticated understanding of the VET policy agenda at both Commonwealth and State level and has an intrinsic understanding of the education industry and its needs.
Adrian is passionate about life, music, and the Glasgow Celtic, not necessarily in that order!
Speaking On:
Cross sectoral organisational relationships – collaboration & competition coexisting
Directions for the future of tertiary education
To increase opportunities for students, it is vital that the connections between Higher Education and Vocational Education and Training providers are sustainable, easy to navigate and put learners first.
Developing the capabilities and quality of the tertiary sector, however, is not without its challenges.
Negotiating legislative and regulatory differences, equipping teachers for multi-sector provision and forming strong educational pathways each pose their own difficulties.
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