The Director of Plymouth University’s Institute of Education has received a prestigious national award in recognition of her ongoing contribution to leadership within the sector.
Professor Megan Crawford was presented with the Distinguished Service Award at the annual conference of the British Educational Leadership, Management and Administration Society (BELMAS).
It recognises her outstanding contribution to teaching, research and development, and was based on colleague commendations as well as previous presentations and sector involvement.
Professor Crawford joined Plymouth University in October 2014, having previously been Deputy Head of the Faculty of Education at the University of Cambridge. She said:
“It is a great honour to receive this accolade, especially as it was awarded on the back of some wonderful testimonials from colleagues and peers past and present. Education is a constantly changing field and promoting strong leadership is vital to ensuring it can ride out the many challenges which may arise. It is also a great boost for the Plymouth Institute of Education, and demonstrates the role it is playing in shaping the teachers and education leaders of the future.”
BELMAS has been working for more than 40 years as an independent voice supporting quality education through effective leadership and management.
Its members work as school, college and university leaders and academic leadership and policy researchers, mostly in the UK but also in 75 countries around the world.
To be considered for the award, nominees had to meet a range of criteria including being actively involved in BELMAS, having a distinguished record of teaching or the practice of leadership, and having a record of research and publication.
The criteria also included playing an active role in the preparation of teaching materials or curriculum development, being involved in national or international educational leadership organisations and having a record of active public service related to educational leadership through membership of public bodies, or contribution to public debate.
Presenting Professor Crawford’s award, BELMAS chair Professor Philip Woods said she had worked tirelessly for the public good, as a national leader in governance, had worked on teaching materials in curriculum development work and said her networking skills were “nothing short of astonishing and pulled the Society forward”.
The BELMAS annual conference was held at the Wokefield Park Conference Centre, Reading, and carried the theme Democracy: Time for Renewal or Retreat in Educational Leadership.