Givan establishes International Ministerial Advisory Panel on Curriculum and Assessment

Date published: 15 January 2025

The panel has been established to provide guidance, expertise and advice to improve the design and implementation of curriculum and assessment in Northern Ireland in line with international best practice.

The members appointed by the Minister are:

• Tim Oates — Director of Assessment, Research and Development at Cambridge Assessment;
• Christine Counsell — Leading expert in curriculum development and former Director of a Multi-Academy Trust;
• Harold Hislop — Former Chief Inspector in the Republic of Ireland;
• Hardip Begol — Former Director for Assessment, Curriculum and Qualifications at the Department for Education, England;
• Daisy Christodoulou — Renowned educational author and founder of the No More Marking assessment company; and
• Nina Hood — New Zealand-based educationalist and Academic Director of The Teachers' Institute.

Commenting on the announcement, the Minister said: “I am pleased to announce the appointment of this renowned group of educational experts to form the International Ministerial Advisory Panel on Curriculum and Assessment.

“Each will bring their own international expertise and a wider global dimension to our reform work in the key areas of curriculum and assessment. They will also provide invaluable insights, drawing on best practice, research and innovations from around the world.

“I want to thank each member for giving their time to this very important work. I am confident their support will be instrumental as we strive to create an evidence-informed, world-class education system in Northern Ireland.”

Members will be appointed for an initial one-year period, with the potential for extension for a further two years.

Biographical details for each member are available on the Department’s website at: International Ministerial Advisory Panel | Department of Education