Lesley is Chair of the Corporation of the Hull College Group. Her previous positions include CEO and Principal for The Trafford College Group, Senior Vice President and SRO for Pearson, and Deputy CEO of AoC. In 2016 she became Chair of the newly formed UK Skills Partnership Board. She is a member of the DIT’s Ministerial Education Sector Advisory Group, a Trustee for the education charity CVQO and an Ofqual board member.
In 2015 Lesley was awarded an OBE for services to education.
Dr Calvert joined the University of South Wales in 2015 as Pro Vice Chancellor for Student Experience, before becoming Deputy Vice Chancellor in 2019. He previously worked at the University of Gloucestershire as Dean of Faculty – a post he held for six years. As a Dean, he managed diverse disciplines including Schools of Media, Humanities, Art & Design, and computing & technology, establishing several new degree courses. Dr Calvert is a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
Hugh Greenway is the CEO of the Elliot Foundation, which he has grown from concept to one of the more successful primary academy trusts in the country. Prior to this he ran education businesses internationally including turnaround and start-up projects in the UK, France, Sweden, Russia and the Netherlands; forging partnerships with Google, chartered sector bodies and respected international universities. He is also a council member of the Foundation for Education Development.
Professor Ian Greer is Vice-Chancellor, Queen’s University Belfast. He champions university innovation driving regional economic growth, co-founding both the Health Innovation Research Alliance for NI, and the Northern Health Science Alliance in England. He leads the Belfast Region City Deal’s innovation pillar. He is an advocate for University social responsibility including widening participation. He is a member of the Research England Council, & past President of Universities Ireland.
Robin Grimes is Steele Chair of Energy Materials at Imperial College London. He was Chief Scientific Adviser to the FCO from 2013–2018, during which time he worked extensively with the British Council. In April 2017 he became Chief Scientific Adviser (nuclear) to the MoD. In his research, he uses computer simulation techniques to predict the behaviour of materials for energy applications. Professor Grimes is a Fellow of the Royal Society and the Royal Academy of Engineering.
Adam Habib is an academic, activist, and public intellectual. He is Director of SOAS University of London and was previously Vice Chancellor and Principal of the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in South Africa. He holds qualifications in Political Science from the University of Natal, Wits and City University of New York. Professor Habib is a co-founder of the African Research Universities Alliance, an affiliation of research-intensive universities on the continent.
Nona McDuff is the Pro Vice-Chancellor, Students and Teaching at Solent University, Southampton. Professor McDuff was awarded an OBE for her services to Higher Education. She has fostered debate on race, racism and the academy, shining a light on the BAME awarding gap and the need for a whole-institution approach to improving social mobility. Professor McDuff has served on the national Teaching Excellence Framework and her research interests cover inclusive curricula and differential attainment.
Tony Medhurst is Principal and Chief Executive of Hertford Regional College since August 2015, having previously held the same position at Harrow College for seven years. He is Chair of the Association of Colleges’ Curriculum Reform Policy Group. He has led successful international partnerships in many countries including South Africa, Tunisia and Vietnam, and was a recipient of the London Development Agency’s Education Partnership Award for his work in China prior to the London 2012 Olympics.
Chris Millward is Professor of Practice in Education Policy at the University of Birmingham. From 2018-21, he was England’s Director for Fair Access and Participation. He has also served as Director of Policy at England’s Higher Education Funding Council and Head of Research Programmes at the UK’s Arts and Humanities Research Council. Chris grew up in Stockport and attended his local comprehensive school before studying at the universities of Warwick and Manchester.
John is an international skills sector expert with extensive experience of leading global technical and vocational education and training (TVET) programmes. He supports UK stakeholders and international partners in developing sustainable projects contributing to global skills initiatives. John previously worked as International Development Director for the Sector Skills Council for Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering (SEMTA), and as the Association of Colleges’ International Director.