Russell Mckay | General Manager International Education, TAFE Queensland

Russell Mckay is a highly experienced workforce development economist with over 20 years of working experience in multiple global locations. An academic leader with extensive experience in academic governance, rural economic development/poverty alleviation, workforce development and land reform. With a solid foundation in agricultural economics gained in South Africa, Russell’s career has progressed to encompass international aid and development work before ultimately transitioning into the vocational education and training sector. Responsible for TAFE Queensland’s entire international portfolio, including all inbound international students and all offshore delivery undertaken by TAFE Queensland.

Russell has extensive international experience and a passion for growing inbound international student experience, as well as developing and managing offshore program delivery. Russell is TAFE Queensland's managing contractor representative for the Australia Pacific Training Coalition (APTC) program. Russell's focus is on sustainable workforce employment through technical vocational education and training globally, including developing new global transnational education products and services.

Russell has led evaluations of flagship federal and state-level reform initiatives for vulnerable populations and financial wellbeing services. Expertise extends to leading service offerings in skilling for workforce development, including monitoring and evaluation, value for money assessments, quality assurance, and project design for various international programs.

Experience in aid and development, and evaluation of Australia Awards programs across the higher education sector have also seen a focus on evaluating student outcomes as a result of interventions, pre-, during and post study.

Bachelor of Science (Agricultural Economics).