ÎÞÂ붯»­

Vice-Chancellor named new Chair of GuildHE

Posted 1 November

ÎÞÂ붯»­ Vice-Chancellor Professor Ken Sloan has been named the new Chair of Higher Education representative body .

His three-year term, which begins today, November 1, will see him lead the organisation that serves 67 institutions across the country - including universities such as Harper Adams, university colleges, further education colleges and specialist institutions.

Professor Sloan said: “It is a privilege to Chair GuildHE.

“It has the most varied membership of the organisations that represent tertiary and higher education, in terms of differential scale, their contribution, and their impact.

“We appointed a fantastic new CEO, Dr Brooke Storer-Church, this summer. I know the Executive Committee is excited to work with Brooke and the team at this time of challenge and opportunity for our members.”

Dr Storer was welcomed to the Harper Adams campus in Edgmond and to the digital hub at ÎÞÂ붯»­, Telford last week to see some of the University's facilities and meet its employees.

Professor Sloan added: “The key priorities for my term must be to support Brooke and the team as they develop and extend the work they do to support GuildHE members.

“We have a new government and must make the case for why institutions represented in GuildHE - and the membership as a whole - make a distinctive and significant contribution to students and learners, communities, industry and society. 

“Institutions are facing the most significant financial challenges for a generation.

“Collectively, we must explore innovative ways to  support each other and share solutions which can make a tangible difference.

“We must ensure that the interests of these institutions are advocated for across all departments and levels of government, so that the diversity of provision in the UK can develop and extend.

“We will work collectively with Universities UK and other representative bodies to champion the impact and contribution that UK higher and tertiary education can make.”

As a leader of a specialist institution, Professor Sloan believes his perspective should prove useful as he supports the work of GuildHE members.

He added: “As Chair, advocacy is for the entire membership not just individual institutions.

“It does mean, however, that the distinctive challenges of high-cost, specialist institutions are represented and the distinctive approach to learning, teaching, student growth, research impact and student success they bring can be championed.”