Birgit Loch is the Pro Vice-Chancellor, Learning and Teaching and the Executive Dean, Institute of Education, Arts and Community at Federation University Australia. She is a principal fellow of AdvanceHE (PFHEA) and fellow of the Australian Mathematical Society.

Birgit holds a German Diploma in Mathematics (1999) from the University of Essen (now University of Duisburg-Essen), a PhD in computational mathematics from the University of Queensland (2004), a Graduate Certificate in Tertiary Teaching and Learning from the University of Southern Queensland (2008), the HBS Certificate of Management Excellence (2021) and she is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (2023).

Birgit joined Federation in 2024 from the University of New England where she was Executive Dean of the Faculty of Science, Agriculture, Business and Law and oversaw a culture transformation including the implementation of values and staff support programs.

Previously, she has held appointments at La Trobe University as Chair Teaching and Learning, Associate Pro Vice-Chancellor Coursework and Deputy Provost Learning & Teaching in the College of Science, Health and Engineering where she led development of a culture of teaching innovation and excellence and established a teaching-focused academic model. At Swinburne University of Technology she was the Head of the Maths and Stats Help Centre and Academic Director Digital Learning and Technologies in the Faculty of Science, Engineering and Technology, and she co-developed the Swinburne women’s academic promotion peer-support program. She has also held appointments at the University of Southern Queensland, the University of Queensland and the University of Essen.

Birgit brings extensive experience leading learning and teaching innovation programs and bringing academics along. As an expert in educational technologies she has been widely published on open educational resources, blended and online learning, pen-enabled technologies, mathematics education and mathematics support, students as partners as well as building teaching focused academic models and communities of practice. She is passionate about improving the student and staff experience, and about achieving excellence in all that we do.

Birgit is the recipient of several university teaching awards for her own teaching and for leadership in learning and teaching, an Australian Learning and Teaching Council Citation and the Australian Award for University Teaching.

Birgit is a co-founder of the WATTLE women’s leadership development program and has served on the In2Science Advisory Board, the Council of the Australian Mathematical Society and the Executive of the Australian Council of Deans of Science.