Professor EmeritusDerrick Armstrong

Derrick Armstrong is Professor Emeritus in the Faculty of Education and Social Work. His roles in the University included:Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) and Registrar; Deputy Provost & Pro-Vice Chancellor Learning and Teaching; and, Dean of the Faculty of Education & Social Work. From 215 to 2020 he was Deputy Vice Chancellor Research, Innovation and International at the University of the South Pacific.

His research field is the sociology of education. Major projects have included: the Global Challenges Research Fund (UK) "One Ocean Hub", global partnership of universities and stakeholder organisation investigating the investigating development challenges at the nexus between the worlds oceans and local and indigenous communities who are connected to the ocean environment;Economic and Social Research Council Research Priority Network"Pathways Into and Out of Crime", exploring the experiences and perspectives of children and young people in relation to anti-social and criminal behaviour in contexts of multi-agency intervention; and, the national evaluation of the UK government's "On Track" crime-reduction program which examined the efficacy of multiple interventions with childrren aged 6-12 year and their families. He has also undertaken work on the history of special educational policy since 1944, on 'Self-advocacy, Civil Rights and the Social Model of Disability', on the construction of motivational styles in the context of school subject and classroom contexts, and he has a longstanding interest in the experience and perspectives of children and their parents involved in special educational assessment.

In addition, Professor Emeritus Armstrong has worked extensively with teachers, non-government organisations and education ministries in educational development and capacity building in developing countries, particularly in the Caribbean and China.

Currently, he serves on the Executive Committee of the Network for Interdisciplinary and Transdiscplinary Research Organisations which includes universiteis in Australia, New Zealand, and Oceania. He has published 9 books and over 150 journal articles and papers.