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In January 2012 some of Western Australia’s best school teachers enrolled in the new Master of School Leadership degree, offered by UWA’s Faculty of Education. The degree is tailored to nurture leadership talent and provide professional support for aspiring school principals. The course aims to develop participants’ confidence and high levels of skill to lead their own school communities.

The Dean of the Faculty of Education, Winthrop Professor Helen Wildy said, “I am very pleased that UWA has the opportunity to work with the Department of Education to offer a relevant hands-on approach to leadership that will support principals to lead schools with confidence and face the challenges in their leadership roles.”

The Minister of Education, the Hon Dr Elizabeth Constable MLA, addressed a welcome launch for students and staff at UWA’s Cullity Gallery on Tuesday January 24, 2012. The function provided the opportunity to celebrate the beginning of this innovative course and partnership between UWA and the Department of Education. In attendance were the Director-General of Education, Ms Sharyn O’Neill, the newly appointed UWA Vice-Chancellor, Winthrop Professor Paul Johnson, participants of the inaugural “Leading Teaching and Learning” unit that was in its second day and most of the first cohort of 50 aspiring principals. One participant, Gregory Grant, had travelled from the Muludja Remote Community School in Fitzroy Crossing to attend the launch.

In February 2012 we celebrated the accomplishment of our first cohort of Association of Independent Schools of WA (AISWA) school leaders in completing their Graduate Diploma in Educational Leadership. We are pleased that several of the participants intend to continue with their studies to complete the Master of Educational Leadership . Indeed, the success of our partnerships with professional organisations seems to be gathering momentum. Since 2010, Professor Simon Clarke has participated in teaching collaborations in the Graduate Diploma of Educational Leadership with both AISWA and WAPPA ( Western Australia Primary Principals’ Association ) involving four separate cohorts and approximately 50 participants.

With the strengthening and expansion of these partnerships, there are likely to be greater opportunities for professional learning as school leaders and university academics are drawn together in their desire to meet professional needs not otherwise accommodated by system arrangements. It would seem – with apologies to William Blake – that when practitioners and universities meet, great things are achieved in the world of educational leadership.