Professor Chris Chapman
Co-Director Robert Owens Centre for Educational Change and What Works Scotland
‘Tackling educational inequity is one of the most significant challenges of our time. This can only be achieved by researchers working in partnership with policy-makers and practitioners to develop new theoretical insights and practical approaches that levels the playing field so that all children can achieve their full potential irrespective of their background’.
Professor Chris Chapman’s research interests focus on the interplay between educational and public service research, policy and practice, specifically in relation to the improvement of educational outcomes in disadvantaged settings. Chris works collaboratively with schools and communities to develop deeper understandings and support the practical interventions to improve educational outcomes. The recurring themes in Chris’s research are accountability, collaboration, equity, leadership, professional learning and organisational/system reform.
Chris has held over 60 research, research and development projects for research councils, governments and charities totalling over £6million. Chris has published 11 books and over 100 peer-reviewed articles; he was editor of School Leadership and Management (2007-16) and is on the editorial board of a number of leading education journals.
As an outward looking academic Chris is a member of the First Minister’s International Council of Education Advisers, and is Senior Academic Adviser to the Scottish Attainment Challenge. He is also a past treasurer and current board member of the International Congress for School Effectiveness and Improvement and was a founding Board member of the Scottish College for Educational Leadership (2014-16). Chris has advised local and national governments and given expert advice to the UK Government’s Education Select Committee at Westminster.
