Provost gives keynote speech at Malaysian conference

USQ Fraser Coast Provost Dr Ken Stott met the chairman of the Board of Directors of the University of Malaya, Tan Sri Datuk Arshad Ayub. He is one of the most decorated and highest ranking men in the country.

USQ Fraser Coast Provost Dr Ken Stott addressed 300 delegates during the plenary session at a Malaysian conference focussing on school principalship and management.

University of Southern Queensland (USQ) Fraser Coast Provost Ken Stott was the keynote speaker at a recent Malaysian conference focussing on school principalship and management.

The four-day conference held in Kuala Lumpur was organised by the University of Malaya.

Dr Stott was the only Australian delegate invited to the conference. Other keynote speakers were from the United States of America, the United Kingdom and Hong Kong.

'I spoke about developing extraordinary school leaders: the Singapore Experience,' Dr Stott said.

'The Ministry of Education in Malaysia takes note of what goes on at these conferences.

'Malaysia is very open to ideas from across the world on how to improve its education system.

'In this globalised world I think we all have to do that, but many developed nations think the only good ideas come from within their own shores.

'Malaysia is gathering ideas from outside, assessing them and then implementing the ideas which suit them.

'My main message at the conference was that innovation is crucial to success in this contemporary world. I think that innovation has to be infused within the whole system and within its leadership. This is an idea Malaysia has taken on board enthusiastically.'

He said innovation was important as the new economy driver and leaders needed to support and provoke innovation, and train school principals differently to achieve this.

'There are many very good school principals around, but in our own country are we really developing extraordinary principals?' he asked.

Media Contact: Katrina Corcoran, USQ Media, +61 7 4120 6167