Professor Gary Husband

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Professor of Professional Education

My background is in social care settings, engineering, and teaching and research in further and higher education. I have held several teaching and leadership roles in the further and higher education sectors in Scotland, England and Wales.

I was previously a Senior Lecturer and Head of Department for Education Studies at the University of Stirling. My research interests are focused on the development of the further, adult and vocational education sectors. I was a part of the Four Nations (of the UK) project that looked at governance across the college sector (funded by the ESRC) and I am also engaged in national strategic research work focused on the new T level provision rollout. I lead the development of educational research at the University of Sunderland.

I currently have ten doctoral students who are covering a wide range of research topics. I am particularly interested in taking on students from professional backgrounds. I teach Practitioner Research courses and support doctoral development.

Teaching and supervision
Research
Publications
Areas of expertise
Further information

Teaching and supervision

I teach and support the Practitioner Research MPhil and Doctoral courses.

Research interests for potential research students

Educational Leadership
Further Education
Adult Education
Vocational Education
Research Ethics
Learning and Teaching
Governance and Educational Policy Development
Community Education
3rd Sector Educational Provision

Research

Recently completed:

Processes and practices of governing in further education colleges in the UK: How do governing boards realise the strategic aims of the organisation?
This project was funded by the ESRC (£1,000,000).

Other projects:
- 2021: CO I- ETF funded investigation into the impact of practitioner research on professional learning (adult, community, and further education). University of Sunderland.
- 2021: CO I- ETF funded investigation into pedagogic principals in the roll-out of T levels in England. University of Sunderland.

Publications

Number of items: 46.

Article

Smith, Vikki and Husband, Gary (2024) Teacher recruitment and retention challenges in the further education and skills sector: lessons and solutions from international perspectives. Education and Training, 66 (5). pp. 465-476. ISSN 0040-0912

Curtis, Beth and Husband, Gary (2024) The play’s the thing: reflections on the use of playwriting as creative practice within an education studies PhD. Education Sciences. ISSN 2227-7102 (In Press)

Husband, Gary and Hill, Ron (2023) Let’s decide to do better governing of schools and colleges. Journal of Management Education. ISSN 1052-5629

Husband, Gary (2023) What are we educating for? AoC Blogs.

Cendon, Eva and Husband, Gary (2023) OPENNESS, FLEXIBILITY AND THE ROLE OF AI IN UNIVERSITY-INDUSTRY PARTNERSHIPS. European Journal of University Lifelong Learning, 7 (1). pp. 57-59. ISSN ISSN 2789-4029

James, David, Garner, Steve and Husband, Gary (2021) Understanding practices of UK college governing: Rethinking strategy and accountability. Educational Management Administration & Leadership. p. 174114322110536. ISSN 1741-1432

Buckley, Charles and Husband, Gary (2020) Lecturer Identities and Perceptions of CPD for Supporting Learning and Teaching in FE and HE in the UK. International Journal of Management and Applied Research, 7 (4). ISSN 2056-757X

Husband, Gary (2020) Ethical Data Collection and Recognizing the Impact of Semi-Structured Interviews on Research Respondents. Education Sciences, 10 (8). ISSN 2227-7102

Watson, Cate, Husband, Gary and Ireland, Aileen (2020) Opening the 'black box': what does observational research reveal about processes and practices of governing? Journal of Management and Governance, 25. pp. 189-221. ISSN 1572-963X

Watson, Cate, Husband, Gary and Young, Helen (2020) Further education in the UK: lessons from the governance of colleges in Scotland. Journal of Education and Work, 33 (2). pp. 129-142. ISSN 1469-9435

Husband, Gary (2020) The role of mentors in supporting the professional learning of lecturers in further education colleges in Scotland and Wales. Research in Post-Compulsory Education, 25 (1). pp. 42-67. ISSN 1359-6748

Husband, Gary (2019) Reimagining Middle Leadership in Further Education. Journal of Studies in Practice and Culture in Education (CSpace), 2 (1).

Husband, Gary (2019) Editorial : Special issue celebrating 2018 ARPCE International Conference. Research in Post-Compulsory Education, 24 (2-3). pp. 151-154. ISSN 1359-6748

Husband, Gary, Murphy, Paul and Petrie, Joel (2019) FE or not FE? A play in two acts. PRISM, 2 (2). ISSN 2514-5347

Duckworth, Vikki, Smith, Rob and Husband, Gary (2018) Adult Education, transformation and social justice. Education and Training, 60 (6). pp. 502-504. ISSN 0040-0912

Husband, Gary (2018) The professional learning of further education lecturers: Effects of initial lecturer education programmes on continuing professional learning in Scotland and Wales. Research in Post-Compulsory Education, 23 (2). pp. 159-180. ISSN 1359-6748

Husband, Gary and Jeffrey, Michael (2016) Advanced and Higher Vocational Education in Scotland: Re-contextualising the Provision of HE in FE. Research in Post-Compulsory Education, 21 (1-2). pp. 66-72. ISSN 1359-6748

Husband, Gary (2015) The impact of lecturers’ initial teacher training on continuing professional development needs for teaching and learning in post-compulsory education. Research in Post-Compulsory Education, 20 (2). pp. 227-244. ISSN 1359-6748

Book Section

Gregson, Margaret, Duncan, Sam, Brosnan, Kevin, Derrick, Jay, Husband, Gary, Nixon, Lawrence, Spedding, Patricia, Stubley, Rachel and Webber Jones, Robin (2020) Quality. How do we evaluate the quality of teaching and learning? In: Reflective Teaching in Further, Adult and Vocational Education. 5th ed. Reflective Teaching. Bloomsbury, London. ISBN 9781350102019

Husband, Gary and Calder, Christine (2020) They are all enchantment, those who once behold 'em, are made their slaves forever. In: Calibans Dance. IoE Press, London.

Husband, Gary and Mycroft, Lou (2019) The cost of everything and the value of nothing: What is next for the FE sector? In: PCET: Learning and Teaching in the Post Compulsory Sector. Sage, London. ISBN 978-1526460219

Husband, Gary (2018) Knowledge, skills and pathways in further education. In: Scottish Education. 5th ed. Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh. ISBN 978-1474437844

Husband, Gary (2017) The renovation of Machiavellian innovation: a return to a celebration of the good. In: The Principal: Power and Professionalism in FE. Trentham, London. ISBN 9781858568447

Conference or Workshop Item

Husband, Gary (2023) Education as a Practice of Freedom. In: Inaugural Associate Professor Lecture, 02 Feb 2023, University of Sunderland. (Unpublished)

Husband, Gary (2022) Opening Keynote and Organiser's Address. In: Association of Research in Post Compulsory Education International Conference, 11th July 2022, Oxford University. (Unpublished)

Husband, Gary (2022) There is hope! In: ETF Annual Education Research Conference, 4 July 2022, University of Sunderland.

Husband, Gary (2021) Professional Learning and Research in Further, Adult and Vocational Education. In: IPFREC, July 2021, Online. (Unpublished)

Husband, Gary (2021) Practitioner research in adult education. In: Festival of Research, 1st June 2021, Online. (Unpublished)

Husband, Gary (2021) Inclusive research and Professional Learning in Post Compulsory Education. In: HCWC, January 2021, Online. (Unpublished)

Husband, Gary (2020) A cartography of professional learning in post compulsory education in the UK: A four nation perspective. In: Australian Council of Deans Anual Education Research Conference (ACDEVEG), December 2020, Australia (Online). (Unpublished)

Husband, Gary (2020) Professional Learning and Leadership in Post Compulsory Education. In: Scottish College Improvement Project Conference and Workshop, January 2020, West College Scotland. (Unpublished)

Husband, Gary (2018) Semi Structured Interviews and Ethical Data Production. In: The Qualitative Review Annual Conference, January 20218, Miami USA. (Unpublished)

Husband, Gary (2017) The Research Interview and Professional Learning. 3rd International ProPEL Conference, Linkoping, Sweden,. In: UNSPECIFIED.