Dr Fazal Dad appointed as Blackburn College principal

Dr Fazal Dad has been appointed as the next principal and chief executive of Blackburn College, set to take up the role in January 2019.

He replaces current principal and chief executive Dr Thomas Moore, who is set to retire on completion of the current academic year.

Fazal joins Blackburn College after six years as deputy principal at Walsall College, which is currently graded as ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted and holds the accolade of being the first General Futher Education College to receive the ‘Outstanding’ badge under the most recent inspection framework.

He also worked at Stourbridge College for ten years as a lecturer, head of department and assistant principal, and Herefordshire and Ludlow College as deputy principal for seven years.

Fazal is also a reviewer with the QAA (Quality Assurance Agency) and was part of the team that reviewed Blackburn College in its Higher Education Review in 2015. He holds two Masters Degrees and a PhD in Leadership and Management from the University of Worcester.

Fazal said: “I am looking forward to making Blackburn my home and working with partners across the region to fulfil Blackburn College’s mission of transforming students' lives and our community, through outstanding education, training and support.

"I am a firm believer in the concept of lifelong learning. I am student-centred and am passionate about setting high expectations for the college, its staff and students and ensuring the delivery of high quality teaching and learning."

The appointment was made following a selection process involving students, staff, key local stakeholders and businesses and the College Corporation Board.

Phil Watson, chair of the Corporation Board, said: “Fazal is a product of Further Education having trained to become an electrical engineer at Stourbridge College in the 1980s and will bring more than 23 years of experience in the Further Education sector to Blackburn College when he takes up the position."