We are excited to welcome Professor Ian Bofinger to AMPA in his new role as Executive Dean. Ian joins us from the Australian Institute of Music, where he has held the position of Executive Dean for the past seven years.
With over 25 years experience as an educator, strategic visionary and academic leader, Ian has worked extensively in producing quality tertiary programs and graduate outcomes specifically in the contexts of music, creative technology and the performing arts.
We also thank Ian Brooks, Campus Dean, for managing and leading AMPA’s programs over the past 6 years. Ian was pivotal in diversifying AMPA’s offerings through the development of postgraduate music programs and vocational courses.
We asked Professor Bofinger a number of questions about his academic background and aspirations for the new role.
What attracted you to AMPA?
My undergraduate degrees were a BMus in music and BSc in computer science. I spent the early part of my professional career as a 'cellist before progressively moving into education and management.
I have worked in the private and public higher education sector for the majority of my life. This involved positions in the university sector with the Queensland Conservatorium of Music, Griffith University, the Central Queensland Conservatorium of Music and the Western Sydney University as well as in my previous role in private higher education at AIM.
Each of these institutions was different and had unique requirements. At QCMGU it was to develop a regional campus and ultimately build a multi-million dollar, state-of-the-art conservatorium in the middle of a cane field. At CQCM, the goal was to create and operate Australia’s first Virtual Conservatorium. At Western Sydney University, I managed the Technology Engaged Learning program and at AIM, the initial directive was for significant growth and sustainability.
What attracted me to AMPA was the potential to take the best elements from each of these previous positions and integrate them into establishing AMPA as an internationally renowned, boutique, music and performing arts academy.
