The Regional Training Unit - Who We Are

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"When leaders stop developing so also do their staff and when staff stop learning so also do their pupils"

These are the sentiments which motivate the work of the Regional Training Unit, the education service's Leadership and Staff College, in Northern Ireland. In recent times RTU has been the focus of scrutiny from visiting teacher educators and policy makers from as far away as Sri Lanka and as close to home as the Republic of Ireland and England and other European Union countries each interested in RTU's unique role (in European terms) as a developer of current and future education sector leaders.

Leadership College supports the professional development of leaders and senior managers in all schools in Northern Ireland. This includes the emergent and aspirant leader as well as serving heads and managers. With over 900 candidates on its preparation for headship programme and over 90 studying for the MBA in educational leadership - the first of its kind in the U.K. - the RTU is responsible for the largest ever investment by any sector in leadership development. Our strength, is in our staff and the partners with whom we work. Experienced leadership trainers, serving headteachers and recently retired heads and senior educationists combine with colleagues in Education and Library Boards, the Council for Catholic Maintained schools, the Grammar, Integrated and Irish Medium sectors, the Universities and teacher associations to provide education sector leaders in Northern Ireland with an impressive range of development opportunities. Whether it is a single day programme on practical issues or more extended accredited programmes on key seminal issues the RTU has something valuable to offer education leaders at every stage of their professional careers.

At the school year's end the RTU turns its focus onto the wider teaching profession and offers through its annual Summer School, opportunities for teachers and other school professionals to explore new insights, further develop skills and contribute to that courageous and open dynamic within the profession which is prepared to invest current energies and resources to lay the foundations for an exciting and radical future. Last year nearly 2,000 teachers attended Summer School. This year's Summer School in terms of the spread of courses offered, the range of campuses and advanced interest from teachers, promises to be our largest ever. The teaching profession continues to set the standard for commitment to continuous professional development, perhaps because they appreciate better than most that, in Hoffer's memorable words, " in times of change learners inherit the earth while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists"

Key Contacts

Dr Tom Hesketh (Director)	E: thesketh@rtuni.org	T: 02890 618121	Ext: 200
John Reid (Deputy Director)	E: jreid@rtuni.org	T: 02890 618121	Ext: 282
Margaret Taggart (Deputy Director, Staff College)	E: mtaggart@rtuni.org	T: 028 90 618121	Ext: 204

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The Regional Training Unit - Who We Are