Education

Dr Britto is a founding member of the Board of Governors of the University of Gibraltar and has been involved with the University project since before its physical inception. He has taught in the secondary and primary sectors in Gibraltar and was appointed Director of Education in 2012. He has experience in projects relating to the development and service improvement of the Civil Service, Agencies, Authorities and government-owned companies. Joey is also involved with oversight of research processes at the University as a member of the Research and Research Degrees Committee and actively engages in PhD supervision.

Antonio’s research focuses on education policy, sociology and social theory, examining how policy reforms shape educational systems, and social inequalities. Influenced by the work of Michel Foucault, Pierre Bourdieu, and Stephen Ball, my research analyses neoliberal policy networks, the role of new policy actors, and approaches to addressing social challenges in education. Particular attention is given to patterns of privatisation, competition, and school choice, and their implications for social justice and equality. My work also explores how neoliberal subjectivities are constructed among educators, leaders, and families, alongside the influence of global policy networks, philanthropy, and edu-businesses in shaping education policy.

Matt Reed is a sociologist specialised in the interfaces of technology and the environment in the food system. His research spans organic farming, local food provision, urban agriculture, agri-environmental schemes, emergent food technologies and commercial fishing. His research interests include how and why social change takes place around food and he has been researching the organic food movement for more than a decade. He is interested in rural communities, social networks and changing technologies of food. This span of research has meant co-operating with a wide range of disciplines from linguistics to genetics by way of ecology and crop science.

Professor Gina Wisker is a Senior Lecturer in the International Centre for Higher Education Management, University of Bath, and Emeritus Professor of the University of Brighton. Gina specialises in doctoral supervision, higher education curriculum development, internationalisation, decolonisation, student learning, academic writing, and quality assurance. Her research focuses on doctoral learning and supervision, curriculum development, international postcolonial and decolonial issues in higher education, widening participation, teaching and learning, assessment, pedagogy in the humanities and arts, and academic writing for publication. She is also dedicated to promoting social justice in these areas.

Rebecca’s research focuses on evaluating the effectiveness of Gibraltar’s education system in preparing young individuals for careers rather than mere jobs. The study explores the alignment between educational practices and workforce requirements through collaboration with multiple stakeholders, ultimately providing insights that can inform policy interventions and educational reforms.

Elaine is the Head of School of Education at the University, and she is responsible for programmes such as the Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) and the Masters in Education. With over twenty years of teaching experience, she has worked across all Key Stages, teaching students from Reception age to Year 13 students. Elaine’s research interests focus on the induction of newly qualified teachers and benchmarking induction provisions across different countries.

Sonia’s research investigated the role of mobile technology in fostering 21st-century teaching and learning, using a critical social theory lens and grounded theory methodology. Focusing on a four-year initiative in a Gibraltar primary school that integrated digital tablets to enhance higher-order thinking skills, her study explored the impact of mobile technology on pedagogy and teacher agency. Sonia engaged teachers as agents of change, critically examining and transforming prevailing practices. Her findings offer original insights into transformative education, highlighting the importance of professional learning communities, teacher agency, and robust technical infrastructure. Sonia is currently the head teacher of Westside comprehensive school.