New principal for ABDO College

Dr Robert Cubbidge

Dr Robert Cubbidge will take over as principal of ABDO College from July 2021.

Dr Cubbidge is currently a senior lecturer in optometry at Aston University. He has held academic posts there since 1998, including programme directorships of the BSc and MOptom programmes.

He has been visiting associate professor at Aarhus University, Denmark, since 2016 – and has a long association with ABDO and ABDO College having been an external moderator for the College since 2014. Dr Cubbidge has also been an external assessor for the ABDO programme in Malaysia.

With his professional interest laying largely in optics Dr Cubbidge has, in his own words, “a passion for lenses and dispensing”. He has extensive knowledge of research programmes and will seek to substantially enhance the College’s progress in this area. He has published a number of books and many articles.

Tony Garrett, ABDO general secretary, said: “I am delighted that we have managed to recruit such a well-known and respected teacher to build on the tremendous work that Jo Underwood has done. I am sure everyone will give Rob a warm and generous welcome when he takes up his post.”