Professor Donna Pendergast, Director Engagement Arts, Education and Law
Professor Donna Pendergast
Donna has conducted many competitive research projects related to school education together valued at more than AUS$5 million, including playing a pivotal role in preparing school leaders for the shift of Year 7 to secondary and the implementation of Junior Secondary in 2015 in Queensland. This reform was built around the Educational Change Model that was developed a decade earlier by a team led by Donna conducting research about effective teaching and learning in the middle years, around the nation. The successful shift of Year 7 is recognised as the most significant reform in education in Queensland in the last half century. Donna also worked in South Australia in the Catholic and state sectors to enable the transition of Year 7 into secondary in 2019-21.
Donna is the recipient of the awards:
2024 - Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for significant service to tertiary education, 2024 Australia Day Honours.
2022 - The Australian Council of Deans of Education Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Education Profession
2018 - The Miller-Grassie Award for Outstanding Leadership in Education, awarded by the Australian Council for Educational Leadership
2017 - The Australian Council of Graduate Research Award for Excellence in Graduate Research Supervision, National Commendation
2015 - The Griffith University Vice Chancellor’s Research Excellence Awards: Research Supervision Award
Donna is the recipient of the awards:
2024 - Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for significant service to tertiary education, 2024 Australia Day Honours.
2022 - The Australian Council of Deans of Education Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Education Profession
2018 - The Miller-Grassie Award for Outstanding Leadership in Education, awarded by the Australian Council for Educational Leadership
2017 - The Australian Council of Graduate Research Award for Excellence in Graduate Research Supervision, National Commendation
2015 - The Griffith University Vice Chancellor’s Research Excellence Awards: Research Supervision Award