Susan Heward-Belle

Director since 2024

Professor Susan Heward-Belle has a PhD, post graduate qualifications in Education and post and undergraduate qualifications in Social Work. She has a strong record of research, teaching, advocacy and social work practice at the intersections of the family violence, law and child protection systems.

Her work is concerned with improving legal, policy and practice responses that provide dignity for victims-survivors, and accountability for people who use violence and coercive control. She leads large research projects that contribute to knowledge for improved policy and practice responses to survivors of domestic, family and sexualized violence funded by the Australian Research Council, ANROWS, the Centre for Action on Child Sexual Abuse, Westpac, as well as, commissioned research projects funded by NSW Health and the Department of Communities and Justice. She also mentors and supervises numerous PhD and Honours students.

Qualifications: Bachelor Social Work University of Calgary, Masters Social Work University of Sydney, PhD University of Sydney, Graduate Certificate in Advanced Higher Education Teaching at University of Sydney, Fellow at UK Higher Education Academy and Sydney Educational Fellowship Program.