The University of Otago's new Centre for Educational Leadership and Administration (CELA) will be officially launched next week with symposiums in Dunedin and Invercargill.
Centre director Dr Ross Notman said the centre was established in January this year with the aim of assisting the personal and professional growth of present and aspiring leaders in early childhood, primary and secondary schools in Otago and Southland.
The centre would link the theory and practice of educational leadership through a programme of seminars and workshops provided by leading national and international practitioners and academics.
It would also engage in applied research, which would address the needs of students, teachers, educational leaders and school-centre governance; and contribute to policy debate about educational leadership.
During the past nine months, staff at the centre have been working on phase 2 of the 14-country International Successful School Principalship Project, which investigates how primary- and secondary-school principals build and sustain success.
Dr Notman said the activities have culminated in CELA's official launch with a leadership symposium in Dunedin on Monday and Invercargill on Tuesday.
