IfL’s new president promises positive action on diversity

Monday 5 September 2011

The Institute for Learning (IfL) has announced the election of Beatrix E Groves as president of its advisory council. She will take over from IfL’s first president, John Chorley, in October.

Ms Groves has over 31 years’ experience of working and teaching in all areas of the post-compulsory education sector: adult and community learning; further education; higher education; and vocational and industrial training. She has been with the Workers Educational Association since 1980, and her freelance activities include working as an adult education tutor for WEA; providing IT courses; and working with people who have gender issues. She teaches a wide range of subjects, including history, philosophy, science, politics, music history, management, and gender issues, and has considerable experience in teacher education, from pre-entry to master’s level, as well as in curriculum design and accreditation.

Ms Groves graduated from the University of Sunderland in 2000 with a first-class honours degree in further education. She is fully qualified teacher, with the professional status of Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS) , conferred by IfL, and holds a City & Guilds Licentiateship (LCGI). She founded the Association of Part-Time Tutors, a support group for contractual teachers in the post-compulsory sector, and has been its general secretary since 1995. She is also a member of the University and College Union (UCU).

“Having served on IfL’s advisory council for nearly two years, I am honoured to be elected as president,” she said. “My chosen themes for this year are continuing professional development (CPD) that enhances good practice, and positive action in diversity. I think I am the first transgender person to become national president of a professional body in the UK, and believe strongly that the post-compulsory sector should recognise diversity in all its forms. I want to show minority groups, including the trans community, that there need not be barriers to success. I want to celebrate how IfL embraces diversity.

“I also think it is important to create a culture where those who are at the ‘chalk face’ of learning get a strong voice in its organisational and decision-making systems, and that is why I stood for election to IfL’s advisory council. I am very much looking forward to being able to be a strong voice for those who are too often unheard in the profession – including part-time teachers, trainers and tutors.”

IfL’s chair, Sue Crowley, said, “I welcome Bea as IfL’s incoming president. At a time of great change for IfL, including the move to self-funding, the involvement and commitment of its elected representatives in helping IfL develop and grow in stature as a professional body has never been more important. I look forward to working with Bea and know that her positive influence will help our ongoing work to raise the profile of teachers and trainers in our sector. I thank John Chorley for his sterling contribution as IfL’s first elected president.”