Heather Thomas wins IEAA Excellence in Leadership Award
On Thursday, 15 October UOW College Australia (UOWCA) Deputy General Manager / Director of Global Programs Heather Thomas was named the winner of this year’s International Education Association Australia (IEAA) Excellence in Leadership Award. IEAA celebrates leaders, innovators and trailblazers behind Australia’s international education.
IEAA’s annual excellence awards recognise outstanding contributions to Australia’s international education sector – the nation’s fourth largest export and the world’s third most popular study destination for international students.
Heather Thomas has 27 years’ experience in education and more than 17 years in leadership positions. She has successfully led the high-quality English language program at UOW College Australia (UOWCA) since 2003. In her current role as Deputy General Manager/Director Global Programs for the College, Heather is responsible for leading and supporting myriad aspects of college operations and significantly contributes to the satisfaction, growth, success, educational performance and quality of all divisions to ensure exceptional student outcomes.
Heather has made tremendous contributions toward the quality and development of the international education sector through her extensive teaching background and long-time involvement with sector-wide industry bodies. She currently holds the roles of Secretary and Vice President of UECA and Director on the NEAS Board; both roles have given her a unique opportunity to build relationships with both TEQSA and ASQA. She has participated in ACPET forums, as well as the COPHE national benchmarking forum on behalf of the College, which gave her an even broader understanding of the higher education sector.
Heather has led many initiatives that focused on delivering high-quality international education, promoting an innovative and collaborative workforce and ongoing improvements for students and staff.
- ELICOS – The College’s robust and successful program offers more than 1,000 international students per year English language education and University preparation in English for Tertiary Studies.
- Learning Co-Op – This one-stop shop provides an innovative, streamlined learning support framework designed to meet the specific needs of international students.
- University of Wollongong in Dubai (UOWD) Language Studies Centre – With the introduction of fully-revised courses and alignment with international standards, UOWD’s Language Studies Centre offers international students exceptional learning experiences that mirror those available at UOW in Australia.
- International English programs – Training organisations overseas have adopted UOWCA’s innovative and collaborative education model to ensure a more student-focused approach.
UOWGE Group CEO Marisa Mastroianni said that Heather has played a critical role in the development and growth of collaborative relationships with stakeholders at all levels to ensure successful outcomes. “She maintains a strong industry network and has collaborated on high-profile projects for UOW locally and internationally.”
“We are privileged to have Heather as a colleague and leader at UOW College and she is exceptionally worthy of this award.”