President and Head of College Craig Davis is pleased to announce the appointment of Arno Dirks as the incoming Deputy Head and Vice President, Education for Pearson College UWC.
“There was tremendous interest in this position, and a very competitive field of candidates came forward from far and wide,” said Davis. “Arno’s candidacy represented the best combination of external international school experience alongside a strong understanding of the internal culture of Pearson.”
Dirks, currently Dean of Studies and a teaching member of Pearson Faculty, has most recently been with the College since 2017. He also taught Mathematics, Theory of Knowledge and supported students in Extended Essays at Pearson between 2007 and 2009. Dirks brought extensive teaching and education sector administrative experience to the College, with positions of increasing responsibility at schools in Canada, Germany and India (including UWC Mahindra College).
Dirks, who is also an outdoors enthusiast and experiential education leader, said his insight into and experience within the UWC movement, the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program and with Pearson will help position the College for continued pedagogical innovation and improved accountability processes that support collaborative work and excellence in Pearson’s curricular and distinctive co-curricular program.
Davis added, “I want to thank the selection committee, which included Faculty, staff and student representatives, who, following deep discussion and deliberation, made the unanimous decision to invite Arno to accept the position.”
Arno will officially assume his new role on August 1 and, in the meantime, will work with Davis and outgoing deputy head Spencer Fowler to ensure the best possible transition. Fowler earlier confirmed that he was leaving Pearson to accept the position of Principal of Li Po Chun United World College of Hong Kong, also effective August 1, 2023.