My role
As Head of The College of Design, Creative and Digital Industries (DCDI) I lead on the development of our strategy for teaching, research and academic enterprise.
We support our students to adapt quickly to a new reality driven by demographic shifts, geopolitical challenges, changing workplace demands and high student expectations for a quality digital experience. There will be 149 million new technology-oriented jobs by 2025, many of them within the creative industries combined with science and engineering. We work to ensure our students think in cross-disciplinary ways, act globally and behave responsibly and compassionately.
The College of Design and Digital Industries is perfectly situated to meet the demands of the future workforce through its interdisciplinary content creators, designers, architects and technology innovators. It’s an incredibly rich space from which to launch the next generation of industry leaders with facilities second to none in the UK. I am proud and delighted to be charged with the future of over 6,000 students supported by colleagues who are leaders in their fields internationally.
My colleagues are focussed on deepening and broadening our engagement with business, the professions, our international partners and our alumni to maximise our impact on the national and world stage.
The College of Design, Creative and Digital Industries consists of four schools: the School of Architecture + Cities, the School of Computer Science and Engineering, Westminster School of Arts, and Westminster School of Media and Communications.
As Pro Vice Chancellor Knowledge Exchange, I lead on the Knowledge Exchange Framework, Short Courses and our Public and Community Engagement Strategy alongside new developments for stackable micro credentials. My aim is to ensure that our University maintains its long and strong tradition of civic engagement and connection to our community. The University leads in knowledge transfer creating opportunities for breakthrough technologies and policies in sustainability. This is a priority for Westminster and the world.
Background
I was previously Dean of the School of Arts and Creative Industries at London South Bank University, where I spent six years. I also held senior leadership roles at Middlesex University and the University of the West of England. After 16 years of working for the BBC in several different roles, such as Series Editor, Executive Producer and Director of the BBC’s Canadian office in Toronto, I was a mid-career entrant into Higher Education.
As a BBC producer and journalist, I worked on The Money Programme, Newsnight, Financial World Tonight and Panorama. I am an active researcher and award-winning filmmaker with globally recognised publications and artefacts in the areas of serious games/newsgames, playable documentary (interactive documentary), digital journalism, broadcasting policy, and Public Service Broadcasting.