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Professor Anthony Bowne is Principal and Chief Executive of Trinity Laban, one of the UK’s world-leading conservatoires. Anthony is one of the country’s longest-serving institutional leaders. During his tenure, he has experienced and led the full picture of Higher Education strategic developments: an institutional merger, the creation of award-winning premises, the establishment of transnational education, groundbreaking international research and a programme portfolio that continues to result in exceptionally high levels of graduate success in the UK and internationally.    So how did this all come about, what’s it like to lead Trinity Laban and what are Anthony’s reflections on Higher Education into the future? This episode is kindly sponsored by Peridot Partners, which transforms leadership and inspires change across organisations with a social purpose. Their specialist higher education team recruits diverse leaders and governors who are driven by your vision of academic excellence.  The Association of Higher Education Professionals and the British Universities FInance Directors Group, BUFDG, are both proud to support Job Shadowing HE as a valuable source of professional insight.

Professor Stephanie Marshall is outgoing Deputy President and Vice-President (Education) at Queen Mary University of London. Stephanie is a renowned figure in the national and global Higher Education sector, having held a variety of senior leadership roles including as Chief Executive of the Higer Education Academy prior to her role at Queen Mary. Amongst many other publications, she is  the author of the seminal book Strategic Leadership of Change in Higher Education.  In this episode, we reflect on leadership in relation to Stephanie’s own career path, the transformative work she has led at Queen Mary, and we also discuss Higher Education and Higher Education leadership more broadly.  This episode is kindly sponsored by Anderson Quigley which builds better leaders for a better society. They are industry experts with decades of experience in public sector executive search, interim management and advisory.  The Association of Higher Education Professionals and the British Universities FInance Directors Group, BUFDG, are both proud to support Job Shadowing HE as a valuable source of professional insight.

Dr Marcelle Moncrieffe-Newman is Chief People Officer at City St George’s, University of London and author of the book One Step Forward, Two Steps Black which looks at navigating anti-Black workplace culture. The book is informed by her Doctoral studies which considered the impact of the public sector workplace culture on the career progression of Black employees. Marcelle shares her motivation for writing the book and reveals more about its contents including the negative workplace experiences of numerous Black colleagues she interviewed as part of her research, as well as experiences of her own. We explore broader topics within her book including the role of HR, the flaws of unconscious bias training and why top-level institutional leadership and culture is essential to change. Marcelle also offers insight to the six-point action plan that is designed for leaders and colleagues to create genuine racial inclusion in the workplace, including in HE. You can find out more about Marcelle here and her book is available here. This episode is kindly sponsored by Anderson Quigley which builds better leaders for a better society. They are industry experts with decades of experience in public sector executive search, interim management and advisory.  The Association of Higher Education Professionals and the British Universities FInance Directors Group, BUFDG, are both proud to support Job Shadowing HE as a valuable source of professional insight.

Andy Youell has a 35 year career working in and with Higher Education data systems and governance, resulting in him being very much the go-to sector guru in the field. While data may appear to be about numbers and systems, Andy’s approach to getting things right in the sector is very much about people, culture, capability and confidence. We discuss Andy’s career with sector bodies, his freelance consultancy, and a brief stint working within a university, as well as the advisory role he’s played on numerous occasions, including to Government Ministers. His extensive career also offers us a potted history of how the HE data landscape has evolved across the last three decades, and we talk about how institutions have responded to that and what needs to come next.  We also reflect upon some classic data topics such as data burden and single source of truth - and -  if data is a science or an art. This episode is brought to you by SEAtS, the Education Operations Platform trusted by universities, colleges, and education providers worldwide. If your timetabling, attendance, compliance, and campus operations are spread across multiple systems, SEAtS brings them together on one AI-powered platform built on Microsoft Azure and natively integrated with Microsoft Teams and Power BI. From day one, it's audit-ready and designed to simplify operations while improving student engagement and institutional performance. Leading institutions have increased retention by up to 20%, protecting millions in tuition revenue while helping thousands more students stay on track. To start a pilot or discuss your requirements, visit seatsone.com. The Association of Higher Education Professionals and the British Universities FInance Directors Group, BUFDG, are both proud to support Job Shadowing HE as a valuable source of professional insight.

Nadia Ness is Executive Director of Transformation at the University of Glasgow. Our conversation covers a wide range of topics about prioritising and leading change across the University, and the focus that Nadia places on people and partnership to deliver change well. With the earlier part of her career having been in senior roles in the corporate sector, including at Ikea, we also reflect upon the similarities and differences between that environment and leading change in HE. And on the theme of change and transformation, we additionally take a brief detour to talk about Nadia’s recent experience of stepping out of the workplace for a period of maternity leave, and some of the perspectives on change that she has since brought back. This episode is brought to you by SEAtS, the Education Operations Platform trusted by universities, colleges, and education providers worldwide. If your timetabling, attendance, compliance, and campus operations are spread across multiple systems, SEAtS brings them together on one AI-powered platform built on Microsoft Azure and natively integrated with Microsoft Teams and Power BI. From day one, it's audit-ready and designed to simplify operations while improving student engagement and institutional performance. Leading institutions have increased retention by up to 20%, protecting millions in tuition revenue while helping thousands more students stay on track. To start a pilot or discuss your requirements, visit seatsone.com. The Association of Higher Education Professionals and the British Universities FInance Directors Group, BUFDG, are both proud to support Job Shadowing HE as a valuable source of professional insight.

Dr Alex Street is a Senior Research Fellow at the Cambridge Institute for Music Therapy Research, part of Anglia Ruskin University. He is an applied researcher who specialises in the use of music therapy for patients undergoing neurorehabilitation following stroke and brain injury. In this episode, Alex shares more about how music therapy works, including case studies of patient benefit. We also explore what led him to train as a music therapist as well as progressing his career into research, and we hear more about what it’s like to be a senior research fellow in his field and more broadly in HE. This episode is kindly sponsored by GatenbySanderson, the UK’s leadership expert across public services, not for profit and education. We partner with universities to find and place exceptional HE leaders and develop their teams – improving leadership performance, inclusivity and accelerating change. The Association of Higher Education Professionals and the British Universities FInance Directors Group, BUFDG, are both proud to support Job Shadowing HE as a valuable source of professional insight.

Professor Ken Sloan, Vice-Chancellor and CEO of Harper Adams University. Ken has extensive experience in strategy leadership, governance and commercial activities gained through both the Higher Education and private sectors, and he became a VC through a non-academic route. In this episode, we discuss his leadership of this specialist university, including its strategic focus, living the institutional values, the role of entrepreneurship and his overall optimism about the future. We also reflect more broadly on the vital role of specialist institutions and why a diverse UK HE sector can and should be maintained. This episode is kindly sponsored by GatenbySanderson, the UK’s leadership expert across public services, not for profit and education. We partner with universities to find and place exceptional HE leaders and develop their teams – improving leadership performance, inclusivity and accelerating change. The Association of Higher Education Professionals and the British Universities FInance Directors Group, BUFDG, are both proud to support Job Shadowing HE as a valuable source of professional insight.

Dr Charlotte Verney and Dr Joanne Caldwell each work in different areas of professional services, but both of them also engage in research and scholarship in HE management. In this episode, Charlotte and Joanne share more about their experience of balancing research and scholarship while working in a professional services role and consider the extent to which this type of portfolio of work is recognised and valued to the benefit of the sector. They also discuss their co-editorship of the Perspectives Journal, as well as the support networks available for current or aspiring professional services colleagues engaging in research. Resources mentioned in the episode: Journal: Perspectives: Policy and Practice in Higher Education | Journal | Taylor & Francis Online LinkedIn group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/12963149/  Other: Higher Education Professional Services Research and Scholarship This episode is kindly sponsored by Tessa Harrison Executive Coaching. Tessa works with senior leaders across higher and further education who are navigating role transitions, leading organisational change or rethinking their careers. Her coaching blends reflective space with pragmatic challenge, enabling leaders to operate and make decisions with greater clarity and confidence. The Association of Higher Education Professionals and the British Universities FInance Directors Group, BUFDG, are both proud to support Job Shadowing HE as a valuable source of professional insight.

Sarah Beavon has worked in Higher Education for over 20 years, moving through a series of increasingly senior roles to her current position as Chief Digital and Student Experience Officer at Canterbury Christchurch University. In 2025, she was recognised as one of the top 100 innovators and change makers of the year reflecting her success with large-scale digital transformation projects. In releasing this episode close to International Women’s Day 2026, Sarah’s reflects upon her career as a female IT leader, the importance of coaching and mentoring, what introverted or quiet leadership looks like, and what the future may hold to support aspiring digital leaders. This episode is kindly sponsored by Niico AI. Niico automates admissions and student services across systems universities and colleges already use, without replacing them. Using conversational AI and process automation, we reduce manual workload and deliver a better student experience to support growth and improve operational efficiency.  Book a demo at niico.ai. The Association of Higher Education Professionals and the British Universities FInance Directors Group, BUFDG, are both proud to support Job Shadowing HE as a valuable source of professional insight.

Hugh Jones is a renowned figure in Higher Education having worked in several universities during his career and, since 2014, undertaken consultancy work with over 60 clients. He is also the founder of the HE postcard series on Wonkhe, and Deputy Chair of the Board of Governors at Birmingham City University.  In this episode, Hugh delves into his career background  and what it’s like to engage as a consultant. He also reflects more broadly on the HE landscape including the strategic opportunities institutions, as well as how governance needs to change into the future. He additionally offers some top tips for careers in HE professional services, and also shares what motivates him to continue working in the sector.  This podcast is kindly sponsored by Ellucian Student powered by Banner. Ellucian Student is the modern AI powered SaaS solution purpose-built for Higer Education, empowering your institution to seamlessly connect people, processes and applications. By choosing Ellucian you choose a winning combination of global and regional expertise. The Association of Higher Education Professionals and the British Universities FInance Directors Group, BUFDG, are both proud to support Job Shadowing HE as a valuable source of professional insight.

Professor Emmanuel Adukwu is Dean for Students at UWE Bristol and professor of microbiology. Emmanuel started his Dean for Students post just a couple of months ago, transitioning from a deputy head of school into this university senior leadership role. A central focus of his career is removing barriers to ensure access and quality of opportunity for all, illustrated in his national and international work such as Chair of the Minoritised Life Scientists Future Forum, as well as UWE’s Dean for Students. Amongst other things, we talk about his career to date, his approach to leading through influence, what “ownership thinking” means, what’s coming up in his Dean for Students role and how he balances life as a senior leader.  This episode is kindly sponsored by Peridot Partners. Peridot Partners transforms leadership and inspires change across organisations with a social purpose. Their specialist higher education team recruits diverse leaders and governors who are driven by your vision of academic excellence. The Association of Higher Education Professionals and the British Universities FInance Directors Group, BUFDG, are both proud to support Job Shadowing HE as a valuable source of professional insight.

Aaron Tyler is Co-Founder and Director of Pact Solutions. In this episode, Aaron reflects upon some of the themes I recorded with 4 different Vice-Chancellors in the Leading Differently mini-series, including how those topics inform practice at Pact Solutions. We also consider the institutional leadership qualities he looks for when working with an institution - and later on in the episode we look to the future in relation to the role of the student record system, the potential of AI and models of shared services.  This mini-series is kindly sponsored by PACT Solutions, which helps universities achieve their ambitions through digital transformation — specialising in the student journey, student records, data & reporting, AI and change management. The Association of Higher Education Professionals is proud to support Job Shadowing HE as a valuable source of professional insight.

Professor Evelyn Welch is the Vice-Chancellor at the University of Bristol. Evelyn has a notable career path in research intensive institutions,and took up the Vice-Chancellor post at Bristol in 2022. In this episode, we explore a number of current regional, national and international initiatives under her leadership. We also discuss a wide range of other topics including the student experience, university finances, the importance of modern languages in HE, collaboration between institutions - and we also touch upon Evelyn’s own research.  This mini-series is kindly sponsored by PACT Solutions, which helps universities achieve their ambitions through digital transformation — specialising in the student journey, student records, data & reporting, AI and change management. The Association of Higher Education Professionals is proud to support Job Shadowing HE as a valuable source of professional insight.

Professor David Mba is Vice-Chancellor of Birmingham City University, and in this episode he talks about developing the vision for the University as being an exemplar anchor institution and how its work is intertwined with the city of Birmingham. He shares more about the innovative way in which science, technology, engineering, mathematics - and the arts - come together at the University, including what goes on in the unique Steamhouse, and we also discuss cultural change to reduce the degree attainment gap and to ensure high levels of student satisfaction.  This mini-series is kindly sponsored by PACT Solutions, which helps universities achieve their ambitions through digital transformation — specialising in the student journey, student records, data & reporting, AI and change management. The Association of Higher Education Professionals is proud to support Job Shadowing HE as a valuable source of professional insight.

My guest in this episode is Professor Damien Page, Vice-Chancellor at Buckinghamshire New University.  Damien has progressed significant change at the University in his first few months in role and he talks in this episode about how things are being done differently at BNU to make a greater impact for students and staff, and to increase organisational efficiency. He reflects upon why operational understanding for a leader is just as important as strategic direction, and he also takes a reality check on the purpose of strategic plans. We also hear more about the Working Class Leaders in Higher Education sector network he set up in 2023 and the motivation behind it. This mini-series is kindly sponsored by PACT Solutions, which helps universities achieve their ambitions through digital transformation — specialising in the student journey, student records, data & reporting, AI and change management. The Association of Higher Education Professionals is proud to support Job Shadowing HE as a valuable source of professional insight.