Robert Cassidy accepts a new role as academic dean of Dawson College

Robert Cassidy, director of Concordia’s Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL), is leaving the university to assume the role of academic dean of Dawson College.

He will lead the next phase in pedagogical innovation and progress at Dawson beginning August 30.

Cassidy has served as the CTL’s director since 2016, and in 2017 he was appointed to the Department of Education as affiliate assistant professor. He also joined the Centre for the Study of Learning and Performance as an affiliate researcher.

For the past five years, alongside the CTL staff and university partners, Cassidy has developed ways to support faculty and teaching assistants, enabling them to continually improve the quality and impact of their pedagogical practices in traditional and new environments.

“I want to thank Rob for his tremendous leadership of the CTL and its team, and for the other initiatives he has facilitated over the years. His contribution in guiding Concordia through the last 15 months of the pandemic has been invaluable,” says Sandra Gabriele, vice-provost of innovation in teaching and learning.

“Thanks to Rob’s evidence-based approach to program planning, his characteristic good nature and belief in putting our students at the core of our mission, the work of the CTL facilitated an incredible transformation in our thinking about teaching and learning at Concordia.”

Cassidy holds a PhD in Neuroscience from Georgetown University. Prior to joining Concordia in 2016, Cassidy served as a professor, pedagogical counsellor and then later as assistant dean at Dawson College.

“It has been a real privilege to work on projects that prioritize transformational learning experiences and technological innovation in the classroom,” he says.

“My professional experience and practice at Concordia will serve me well in my new role at Dawson College.”

Find out more about Concordia’s Centre for Teaching and Learning.