New appointment for Leadership College project

A Leadership College for the Further Education and Skills sector is one step closer to fruition. 

The Learning and skills Improvement Service (LSIS) have appointed a project board and project director to steer the Leadership College project operational by September 2013.

Craig Crowther, currently managing director of the Ashwood Partnership, has been appointed to lead the project for the next 12 months and will be tasked with ensuring a sound base for launch in September next year. Craig joins the project with a wealth of leadership experience. As managing director of the Ashwood Partnership, Craig has overseen the implementation of two National Skills Academies and developed programmes for the National College for School Leadership.

The Leadership College will provide an environment for the development of a critical mass of world-class leadership within the sector. The college will build on the success of leadership programmes to date and offer existing and aspiring principals, chief executives and managing directors the opportunity to connect with and learn from the best leaders within the FE sector and beyond. Using models of world-class leadership from a range of sectors, the college will develop a clear framework and self-assessment tools to enable participants to check their progress along the way.  Craig will work with a newly appointed project board to develop the frameworks and working practices ready for launch.

Craig said: “I am delighted to have been asked to take on the project director’s role for this exciting initiative, and am looking forward to working with the sector to take the Leadership College from concept to reality in a way that delivers real benefit for the sector’s current and future leaders”

LSIS’s Chief Executive Rob Wye said: “We are very pleased that Craig is joining the Leadership College, which will no doubt benefit from his extensive experience.”

LSIS Trustee and Chair of the Leadership College project board, Asha Khemka OBE said: “I am excited about the experience Craig brings. I am confident that we can ensure the proper building blocks are in place for the Leadership College to start in earnest in September next year.”