New Model Institute for Technology and Engineering (NMITE) has appointed Dr Richard Lillington to the new position of head of teaching and learning, a new senior leadership role responsible for ‘improving and overseeing the quality of education, curriculum development, and assessment'.
A Chartered Engineer, a Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, and a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, Dr Lillington will join the institute this month from Aston University, leaving his current position as senior teaching fellow in the College of Engineering and Physics. He also previously led teaching in Mechanical and Design Engineering at Warwick University.
Prior to moving into academia, Dr Lillington worked in the aerospace and automotive sectors, spending nine years at Delphi Diesel Systems as both principal engineer and technical specialist, two years as a design engineer at KG Washford and six years at Lucas Aerospace.
As part of his responsibilities, Dr Lillington will lead the teaching staff and be responsible for implementing educational strategy and ensuring high academic standards.
Dr Lillington says: ‘NMITE is a trailblazer and I am delighted to be joining an institution that is proving that engineering education can be done better. I believe 100% in the transformational power of education. Universities produce amazing engineers but in general they are not as confident or hands on – great at maths but not at solving real-world problems. This is where NMITE comes in and I look forward to playing a part in its future plans.'
James Newby, president and CEO of NMITE, added: ‘While Richard's focus will be on supporting our academic team to deliver the best job they can do, the ultimate beneficiaries will be our students. He brings with him many years of leadership experience in both academia and industry, and is a passionate advocate of authentic, hands-on engineering education that equips graduates for their future careers. He understands our model and passionately believes in what we are delivering.'
