Queensland Education Leadership Institute (QELi) and the National Excellence in School Leadership Institute (NESLI) have announced a new partnership that aims to strengthen educational leadership collaboration by providing greater access to professional development opportunities for educators and school leaders across Australia.
QELi and NESLI will collaborate to co-create blended learning programs for educators and school leaders, leveraging QELi’s expertise in delivering high-impact, quality face-to-face training and NESLI’s experience and proficiency in designing and building online learning platforms.
This partnership will also enable QELi participants to access NESLI’s online professional learning opportunities at a significantly reduced price. Educators in rural and remote areas will have greater choice and access to QELi professional development, without the additional pressures of travel costs and time away from schools.
QELi CEO, Neil McDonald, said this new partnership with NESLI further demonstrates each organisations’ commitment to supporting the development of educators and school leaders in Queensland and across Australia, and ensuring accessibility to all.
“We are thrilled to partner with NESLI to enhance QELi’s professional development offering through the addition of new online programs. NESLI’s rigorous and evidence-based programs, incorporating school-based projects, peer mentoring and coaching, expert tutorials and collaborative online spaces, complement and align with the design and framework of QELi face-to-face leadership and capability programs for collaboration and school improvement,” said Mr McDonald.
“Educators across the country, particularly those located in rural and regional areas, have been asking for greater access to online learning and we are pleased to be able to respond to these reports by delivering products to support the needs of our colleagues.”
NESLI National Director Damien Farrell added that this exciting partnership brings together two innovative leaders in the field of professional development for educators, both heavily committed to the improvements in student outcomes that great leadership generates in our schools.
“NESLI is delighted to be strengthening our partnership with QELi. A defining characteristic of our partnership is our shared vision and focus. Separately we are already supporting school leadership teams to achieve school improvement success by designing work-integrated programs that align to school contexts, are powered by partnerships with industry leaders and research, and are designed for educators at specific career stages. Together, we can maximise our reach and impact, ultimately for the benefit of all students,” said Mr Farrell.
“We are also very keen to explore with the team at QELi our areas of shared concern in the teacher and principal wellbeing space and ways that school leaders can support early career teachers to thrive in Queensland schools.”
QELi and NESLI will launch the first joint cohort of the online Women’s Advanced Leadership Program (ALP) on Tuesday 30 July 2019, with a blended learning health and wellbeing program due to follow shortly after, commencing later in the year.
The Women’s ALP is a six-month online program for women who are aspiring to or already hold senior leadership roles within schools. The program focuses on the interpersonal and behavioural dynamics associated with senior leadership and combines rich, multi-media learning resources with peer level discussion and collaboration.