Who We Are

Professor Sir Chris Husbands

Chris is a leading figure in UK higher education. He has led both research and teaching intensive universities, and played a key role in national policy, including chairing the Teaching Excellence Framework and the Higher Education Statistics Agency, and as Board member of Universities UK.

Chris is a frequent contributor to policy debate across a range of issues, and regularly participates in conferences and strategy events both in the UK and overseas.

Professor Janice Kay CBE

Janice is a highly-experienced academic leader with deep understanding of academic operating models, strategic change and restructuring. She was Provost and Deputy Vice-Chancellor at Exeter University for over 20 years. She has held significant national roles including with Advance HE, Teaching Excellence Framework, and chairs the University Maths Schools Network.

Janice is a regular contributor to debate on student experience and outcomes, including use of digital technologies and Gen AI. 

Richard Calvert

Richard is an experienced  Chief Operating Officer, with a background in policy and strategy development. After spending much of his career in Whitehall, Richard worked in higher education as a COO and Deputy Vice-Chancellor, leading substantial operating model redesign, as well as campus redevelopment and portfolio diversification. 

Nationally, Richard led the establishment of the Civic University Network. An experienced coach and mentor, Richard also contributes to sector debate on policy and operating models.

Linda Mason

Linda is an experienced Professional Services Director with a background in higher education strategy and planning.  She has established and led high performing teams working on strategy development and implementation, performance and risk management, governance, and compliance.

Linda has led on the analysis and reporting of all aspects of institutional performance both internally and externally and has significant knowledge and understanding of higher education data.

Professor Dilly Fung

Dilly is an Emeritus Professor and HE consultant following retirement as Pro-Director (Vice President) for Education at LSE, where she led a major strategic transformation of student education and the student experience at LSE. She built effective collaborations between academics, professional services staff, students and alumni to effect success. She was previously Professor of Higher Education at UCL, inspiring the development of a research-based Connected Curriculum across very diverse faculties. Her own research focused on research-based education, reward and recognition for educators, and HE leadership. In her earlier career Dilly worked in Further and Adult Education, including running HE in FE programmes, and taught for the Open University.

Dilly has been on the TEF panel from its inception. She wrote two independent TEF-related reports for the OfS in 2024, including one on HE education providers’ approaches to strategic quality improvements. She is an independent governor of a small, specialist HE provider.

Professor Sharon Huttly

Sharon was most recently Deputy Vice-Chancellor at Nottingham Trent University (2020-24), responsible for a diverse portfolio and including leadership of a pioneering partnership with a FE college to deliver HE. While Pro Vice-Chancellor for Education & EDI at Lancaster University (2014-20), Sharon played a leading role in the founding of University Academy 92, a public-private partnership provider in Manchester. Previously she led significant growth and diversification of teaching at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (specialist, postgraduate). Sharon thus has experience of ensuring high quality provision for an extensive range of student groups, modes of study and provider types.

Sharon was a member of the TEF panel since 2017, has served on national bodies and is a FE College Governor. She has worked extensively in South America, West Africa and Asia. With a background in statistics, she has considerable experience of quantitative and qualitative evaluation methods in the health and education fields.

Professor Sally Jackson

Sally has worked in Higher Education for over 20 years at Director/Pro-Vice-Chancellor level with experience in research and teaching intensive universities, blending her Professional Services and Academic experiences.  She has led large teams across the breadth of organisational development, human resources and academic development creating, implementing and sustaining change and improvement at an organisational, group and individual level.

Sally is a seasoned coach, facilitator and public speaker and regularly participates in conferences in the UK and internationally. 

Professor April McMahon

April has worked in HE leadership roles for 25 years, most recently as Vice-President for Teaching, Learning and Students at the University of Manchester, where she still works part-time as Professor of English Language and Linguistics and Associate Vice-President. Previously, she held academic posts in Linguistics and leadership roles in five institutions across the UK. April is committed to equality of access, awarding and progression for all students; partnership working with students; enhancement of teaching quality and student experiences; and recognition and reward for excellence in teaching.

April has been closely involved with the TEF since 2017, including in both phases of the TEF Subject Pilot; and most recently she was Deputy Chair (Academic) of the panel for TEF2023. She is also Treasurer of the British Academy.

Professor Kristyan Spelman Miller

Kristyan is a HE expert with 40 years’ experience working across the UK sector in senior leadership positions, most recently as Pro Vice Chancellor Education at Keele University. She has broad and deep experience of quality assurance and enhancement through roles in institutions of various sector types. She has led institutional education strategy over 20 years, transforming curriculum, teaching and assessment practice, managing diverse portfolios and leading the academic experience across different modes of study. Many years’ engagement with the Quality Assurance Agency as an institutional reviewer brought expertise in conducting quality review and TDAP across colleges, universities and private providers.  She was a panel member in TEF2023.

Professor Susan Orr

Susan is a highly experienced academic leader who until recently was the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Education and Equalities at De Montfort university where she led delivery of the successful move to an innovative and inclusive block curriculum model.  She has also held leadership roles in York St John University and University of the Arts London. Susan was a TEF panellist and led the OFS  review of Blended Learning.  At University of the Arts London Susan was co-chair of the university’s LGBTQ+ Staff Network

Susan’s published research is on creative education and she regularly contributes to conferences and events sharing her expertise in blended learning, leadership, creative education and strategic inclusive curriculum design and delivery.  

Susan is a Trustee at The Place: London Contemporary Dance School and chaired the European League of Institute of Arts (ELIA) Teachers’ Academy from 2018-2023.