A letter to the sector from the ACPET Chair, Kay Ganley

Earlier this week, I wrote to ACPET members to announce a change in our organisation’s Executive leadership, and I am taking this opportunity to provide advice to the sector as a whole on these changes given the substantial role ACPET and its members play in Australia’s tertiary sector.

ACPET’s CEO, Andrew Smith, will be leaving ACPET at the end of August to take up the role of CEO at Swinburne College. Andrew’s new role will see him continue in the tertiary sector, this time from the perspective of a provider dealing with the commercial realities that brings.
Andrew leaves with the very best wishes and gratitude of the ACPET Board and staff for his exceptional leadership and dedication over the past three years. Under Andrew’s leadership, ACPET has continued to flourish and grow. Andrew leaves with the Council’s position firmly established as a leading voice on behalf of the education and training industry. ACPET’s membership base continues to expand, as do our services to our members.
I am also very pleased to announce that from 30 August 2010, our current Deputy CEO, Claire Field, will step into the role of Acting CEO of ACPET.
Many of you will already know Claire given her varied and distinguished career thus far, in the tertiary education sector. Most recently Claire was the General Manager of the National Audit and Registration Agency.

Under Claire’s leadership, I have every confidence that the coming months will see ACPET enter a new chapter in its history as we continue our contribution to Australian tertiary education policy, while also being responsive to our increasingly diverse membership.

Claire’s policy expertise, her leadership experience and her highly strategic approach will be a tremendous asset to ACPET as we help our members to provide quality, diversity and choice to students in Australia, and advocate strongly for government policy settings to make that possible.

For us, this next chapter is very much about diversity. The ACPET Board and staff seek to reflect the diversity and calibre of our membership, with highly skilled and experienced professionals committed to providing sound, experienced leadership and decision making on the issues that matter most to members.

The ACPET annual conference provides an opportunity for members and stakeholders to thank Andrew for his exceptional leadership and to work with Claire and the ACPET Board as we start on the next chapter of the ‘ACPET story’. I look forward to continuing our professional association at the conference and in the months ahead. In the meantime I am sure you will join me in congratulating Claire on her appointment, and thanking Andrew for his outstanding contribution to ACPET and our sector.

Sincerely,

Kay Ganley
Chair
Australian Council for Private Education and Training (ACPET)