Professor Graeme Aitken

Professor Graeme Aitken is the Professor of Education and Director of Educational Initiatives at the University of Auckland and former Dean of Education and Social Work at the University of Auckland, a position he held from October 2008 to December 2017. He was appointed to the university in 1996 as inaugural Director of Teacher Education after fourteen years as a secondary teacher and four years as a teacher educator. In 2001 he was awarded a Distinguished Teaching Award for his contribution to establishing the secondary teacher education programme at the university.

Graeme is currently the Director of Educational Initiatives at the University of Auckland, where he chairs the university's Academic Units and Disciplinary Area External Review panels, and contributes to university teaching and learning projects. He is also the sponsor of the University's STEM Online NZ progrmme that supports the teaching of STEM subjects at senior secondary school.

Graeme’s research has focused on teaching effectiveness (in schools and more recently in higher education), and on curriculum development and design. He aims through his research to offer insights into practice that help decision-making by policymakers, leaders and teachers in the best interests of students and their learning. His work on teaching effectiveness has formed the basis of more than a hundred presentations to conferences and schools.

In 2019, Graeme was the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award as part of the Prime Minister's Education Excellence Awards 2019.