The Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS) has announced the appointment of Maia Horniak as its new Director, Teaching & Learning.
Maia is a highly experienced creative educator, filmmaker and academic leader with over two decades of international experience across the screen, media and higher education sectors.
Most recently, Maia served as Program Leader and Senior Lecturer at Prague City University, where she co-led the development and validation of a BA (Hons) Creative Media Production degree in partnership with Teesside University. In her role as Director of Curriculum Development, she oversaw academic governance, industry-informed course design, and regulatory alignment. Maia has also held lecturing roles at AFTRS, NIDA, UNSW COFA, and she has a deep understanding of – and passion for – practical, student-centred education.
AFTRS CEO Dr Nell Greenwood said Maia, an AFTRS alum, brings a dynamic mix of industry insight and academic leadership, shaped by her work with leading educational institutions and media organisations.
“Maia is globally experienced, values-led, and deeply committed to fostering inclusive and inspiring learning environments,” she said.
As a filmmaker and content producer, Maia has directed award-winning projects and held commercial directing roles with MTV, Goalpost Pictures, ABC and Universal.
“Maia’s production experience spans film, broadcast, digital platforms and branded content, giving her a unique, nuanced understanding of industry expectations and emerging media that will stand her in excellent stead for instigating and leading the industry collaborations that are critical to our approach at AFTRS,” Nell said.
Maia Horniak said: “I am honoured to join AFTRS as Director of Teaching and Learning at such a pivotal time. As a centre of excellence, AFTRS leads with creativity, industry connection and innovation. I am committed to strengthening these values – and further future-proofing students’ pathways into the industry through a curriculum that ensures industry relevance, inclusivity and long-term sustainability in their creative careers, keeping AFTRS at the forefront of global screen and audio education.”
Maia commenced her role at AFTRS this week.
