Professor René Koglbauer is Dean of Lifelong Learning and Professional Practice at Newcastle University, where he also holds a chair in Professional Learning and Leadership and heads up the Educational Leadership Centre in the School of Education, Communication and Language Sciences.

He leads on the University’s lifelong learning strategy, including the growing (degree) apprenticeships and CPD provision both in Newcastle and the University’s international campuses in Malaysia and Singapore.

With the vision of developing coherent education and skills pathways, René has been leading on developing strategic skills partnerships with regional FE colleges and has brought together key stakeholders for regional projects and external skills funding bids, including the Institute of Electrification and Advanced Sustainable Manufacturing (IESAM), an institute co-funded by UKRI Innovate UK and the university.

René’s scholarly interest in education policy has also led to him taking an active role in contributing to the national debate on the lifelong loan entitlement, Skills Bill and the skills agenda more generally, which has led to numerous engagements with Members of Parliament, Peers in the House of Lords and the Department for Education.

René holds several Board positions at regional, national and senior level. He is a senior fellow of the Higher Education Academy, a fellow of the RSA and the Chartered Management Institute.