Dr. Kirk Anderson has been renewed for a second term as dean of the Faculty of Education effective Sept. 1, 2016.

President Kachanoski accepted the recommendation for a three-year term renewal; the decision was approved by the Board of Regents on May 19.

‘Honour our mission’

“I would like to thank the faculty and our community for their overwhelming support over these past few years,” said Dr. Anderson. “I look forward to building upon the faculty’s excellent work as we continue to honour our mission to improve the human condition through education.”

Prior to beginning in his academic leadership role at Memorial, Dr. Anderson served as associate dean of education for the University of New Brunswick and chair of the leadership specialization of the Graduate Division of Educational Research at the University of Calgary.

He is founding director of the Atlantic Centre for Educational Administration and Leadership where he led the revision and launch of the distance education M.Ed. in administration and leadership. He also holds a doctorate in educational administration and leadership from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto.

Frameworks developed

Since his appointment in 2011 Dr. Anderson has focused on the development of new guiding frameworks for the Faculty of Education, including a new Strategic Plan for 2015 to 2020: Strength Through Collaboration, which laid the groundwork for a synergy of change in the faculty. He also led the faculty through the development of the new community-based Inuit bachelor of education degree program, a partnership effort with the Government of Nunatsiavut.

Dr. Anderson was recently elected president of the Association of Canadian Deans of Education. He is the second dean from Memorial’s Faculty of Education to hold the national position.