John Firth

Professor John Firth serves as a Vice-Chancellor’s Strategic Fellow at Victoria University, focusing on high-level educational strategy and policy. Previously, he was Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) from 2006 to 2017, overseeing curriculum development and assessment systems for all Victorian schools from preparatory to Year 12. As a foundation board member of ACARA, he contributed to national initiatives including the Australian Curriculum, NAPLAN, and MySchool website.

His research and professional expertise centers on equity and innovation in senior secondary education, with specific emphasis on disability accommodations in examinations, vocational learning pathways, and crisis-responsive assessment systems. He led the landmark 2019 'Firth Review' commissioned by the Victorian government to reform vocational education, and recently advised on pandemic-related disruption protocols for the VCAA’s Consideration of Disadvantage process.