College appoints Lizzy Ostler as Director of Education

College appoints Lizzy Ostler as Director of Education

The College of Optometrists has appointed Lizzy Ostler to the role of Director of Education. Lizzy will lead the strategic development and delivery of all aspects of the College’s role in qualifying and developing the profession, beginning in mid-March.

Lizzy will join the College from the University of Brighton where she was first appointed as a senior lecturer in 2001. In this role, she has overseen curriculum development and educational quality assurance across a broad range of subjects. She is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and was promoted to Professor of Chemical Biology in 2018 in recognition of her educational innovation and leadership, as well as her world-leading research on the remediation and reversal of age-related degenerative processes.

She has served as Trustee and Honorary Treasurer of the British Society for Research on Ageing, and recently completed her final term as Staff Governor at the University of Brighton. She has served in multiple education-related capacities within the Royal Society of Chemistry, most recently being elected to Chair the Standing Committee of Heads of Chemistry UK.

Speaking about her appointment, Lizzy said; “I am delighted to be joining the College senior management team at this time of substantial change in the profession. I look forward to working with the College’s Education team and UK-wide stakeholders to develop and deliver a high quality ongoing educational experience for student and practising optometrists to ensure the profession is equipped to meet future challenges.”

Ian Humphreys, Chief Executive of the College said; “I’m so pleased to welcome Lizzy to our team. We are about to enter a period of change for optometric education, the biggest in at least a decade, and with the College hoping to take a leading role in the new route to qualification, we will be drawing on all of Lizzy’s experience to shape and deliver our role. I would also like to thank the outgoing Director of Education, Sally Gosling, for her tireless work on behalf of the College and the profession during her time working here.”