Association of Colleges
AoC members elect new President
06 May 2011
Association of Colleges’ members have elected their new President – Fiona McMillan, Principal of Bridgwater College in Somerset.
She will succeed the current AoC President, Chris Morecroft, on 1 August.
Fiona said: “I see the AoC’s role as supporting and promoting a sector which is creative, responsive and very good value for money. It will be a great honour to represent colleges as AoC President. I’m thrilled to have been elected and look forward to building on the excellent work of my predecessors, Chris Morecroft, Pat Bacon and David Collins.”
Fiona has been Principal of Bridgwater College since 1994 and under her leadership the college was designated as ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted in 2004. Despite the challenges posed by national funding cuts and new curriculum initiatives, she remains optimistic about the sector’s ability to change students’ lives and make a difference to their local communities.
Fiona’s career in education began in secondary schools in London and Dorset, progressing after three years into further education (FE). During her 25 years in FE she has taught in, and later managed, a variety of general FE and tertiary colleges in England and Wales.
She has also represented the interests of colleges in the South West on the AoC Board, chaired the Tertiary College Group and been actively involved in engaging with politicians and civil servants on behalf of the further education sector.
The office of President was established in 2007 to further enhance AoC’s work in representing and promoting Colleges, following a strategic review of the association.
Matt Atkinson, Principal of City of Bath College, and Ian Ashman, Principal of Hackney Community College, were also candidates in the election, which closed on 4 May.
John Bingham, Association of Colleges’ Chair, said: “I’m pleased that almost two-thirds of our members voted in this election. It is a real testament to the value that members place on this post as an important element in our work representing and promoting colleges. Despite the day-to-day pressures on Principals, it’s gratifying to see candidates of such excellent calibre and this is a further reflection of the esteem in which the role is held.”
Martin Doel, Association of Colleges’ Chief Executive, said: “I’m looking forward to working with Fiona, who I know is a very able and experienced Principal and who will be a most effective champion on behalf of colleges and their students.”
AoC President Chris Morecroft said: “I am really pleased to know that Fiona has been elected as next year’s President. She has a wealth of experience, both as a very successful college Principal and for her previous work with the AoC. I look forward to working with her during the handover period and am sure she will do an excellent job.”
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