Rate My Professor Andrew Townsend

Professor Andrew Townsend is Professor of Education at Swansea University, a post he took up in 2023. He serves as Head of the Department of Education and Childhood Studies, leading strategic initiatives in teaching, research, and educational partnerships. His research explores leadership for learning, participatory action research, professional development in education, school improvement, teacher development, and innovative approaches to curriculum design. Townsend has directed and collaborated on numerous national and international projects, including evaluations of school leadership programs and teacher development initiatives. These efforts have attracted funding from organizations such as the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), the International Baccalaureate, and the National College for School Leadership. He holds a PhD in Education from the University of Warwick, where he previously served as Assistant Professor in Educational Enquiry from 2006 to 2010. Subsequent appointments include positions at the University of Leicester from 2010 to 2011 and as Associate Professor at the University of Nottingham from 2011 until his move to Swansea University.

Townsend has published widely in the field of action research. Key publications include the co-authored book School-University Partnerships in Action (Routledge, 2021), the chapter Participatory Action Research and Teacher Education in the Encyclopedia of Teacher Education (Springer, 2022), and articles such as Resilient leadership in principals: case studies of challenged schools in Spain (International Journal of Leadership in Education, 2022), Addressing the pressing issues of our time (Educational Action Research, 2024), Books that changed my life: reading and re-reading Learning from Experience by Richard Winter (Educational Action Research, 2025), and Working at the intersection of reflection, action, and change (Educational Action Research, 2026). As Coordinating Editor of Educational Action Research, he plays a key role in advancing practitioner-led research methodologies. A Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA), Townsend's contributions influence educational practice through his emphasis on collaborative networks, resilient leadership, and evidence-based improvements in schools.