Dr Alex Gardner-McTaggartTrustee
Born in within sight of Epsom race course, I grew up in SW London, then Cornwall, then Austria, (then Cornwall again), BA in London and Berlin… my life began with many changes, different places, people, languages. Although still learning, I believe this allowed me to see the world in a way that cherishes diversity and individuality, but also togetherness.
My educational career was pockmarked by so much change… Put back a year, I did my GCSEs at sixth form in one year in the ‘re-sitters’ class. I managed the impossible and failed drama A level in 1991, and went to University through clearing. With my son now in his second year at Uni, I am reminded of the ‘blues’ I experienced (the many mostly financial challenges) and my doubts in academia. In my final year at QMW college London, I discovered myself as an academic in my tutorials on Kafka and Rilke. With no means, I then worked as an EFL teacher until I could afford my M.Ed at the OU in 2005. Later as HOD at the International school of Azerbaijan, (and father of four), I successfully completed my PhD over 5.5 years in Educational Leadership at (Nott) (obvs. distance) – seeing my supervisor once a year in person.
I worked for Her Majesty at RMA Sandhurst as leadership SL where my thesis work on Bourdieu and international Ed Leadership was ‘spotted’ at BELMAS 2018 in Windsor. In 2019 I joined the Univ. of Manchester as PD for a Masters in Educational Leadership tasked with its build, writing, staffing and recruitment. I am now the University’s Academic Lead for Transnational Education. Failing drama A level was the best thing that ever happened to me.
