Professor Robin Shields

As Head of the School of Education at the University of Queensland, I have overall responsibility for leadership, strategy, and development of a leading center of educational research and teaching in Australia and beyond. The School plays an important role in educating pre-service teachers in Queensland, developing educational researchers through doctoral study, and engaging with educational professionals through our highly international master's program. We have a strong commitment to social justice and inclusion of Indigenous knowledge and peoples, which are key priorities in my work as head of School.

As an educational researcher, my research has focused on globalisation and education, in particular looking at innovative ways that data can be used to understand educational change at the global level. I am particularly interested in social network analysis and statistical modelling, and have investigated issues and questions such as:

* Changing patterns of migration of international students around the world * The impact of international higher education on climate change through air travel * Whether private schooling adds to students' learning in South Asia * Networks between donors and recipients in international aid

I have held grants from the UK’s Economic and Social Research Council, the European Commission, the Leadership Foundation for Higher Education, and other funders. I have has also served as co-editor of the journal Comparative Education Review, the executive committee of the British Association for International Education, and undertaken consultancies for national and international NGOs and UNESCO. I undertook my doctoral studies at UCLA, and have held roles at the University of Bath and Bristol in the UK.

I am a committed teacher, and have taught diverse students at all levels of study. I am particularly interested in technological innovation in my teaching practice and experimenting with gamification and simulation-based learning. In recognition of this approach to my work, I received the University of Bristol’s Inspiring and Innovative Teaching Award in 2021 and served as the School Education Director. At the University of Bath, I directed the doctoral program in higher education management.