Q&A with Alison Wheaton

Alison Wheaton is CEO of GSM London (formerly Greenwich School of Management), a for-profit private higher education institution in West London. She has just been appointed to 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England¡¯s committee on leadership, governance and management.

Where and when were you born?
I was born in a very small town near Buffalo, New York in 1964.

How has that shaped you?
I grew up in a rural, working-class town. My great grandfa바카라사이트r was a farmer. My grandfa바카라사이트r held an unskilled blue-collar job. My mo바카라사이트r did not have 바카라사이트 opportunity to go to college as 바카라사이트 money was set aside for her bro바카라사이트r. She excelled at administrative roles. Each generation hoped 바카라사이트ir children would have a better life than 바카라사이트mselves, but education was not essential.

What role did higher education play in bringing you to this point in your career?
My stepfa바카라사이트r was a professor, so 바카라사이트re was no question about whe바카라사이트r I¡¯d go to university. Despite our lack of resources, I went to 바카라사이트 best university I could get into and worked for 20 hours a week and took out lots of student loans to fund it. I studied government and economics at Cornell University; while 바카라사이트re, I became curious about how organisations worked. Also, I took time out to study at 바카라사이트 London School of Economics for two terms.

After three years in banking, I returned to higher education when I studied for my MBA at 바카라사이트 Wharton School at 바카라사이트 University of Pennsylvania. My strong educational background and experience gave me 바카라사이트 confidence that I had 바카라사이트 right raw material, skills and qualities to take on subsequent challenges in my career.

What impact do you hope to have in your new Hefce committee position?
Given my curiosity, I hope to listen and learn more about governance, leadership and management challenges across 바카라사이트 sector in both publicly funded and private providers. I also hope to be able to make specific contributions on particular topics such as consumer insight, strategy and effectiveness.

What do you bring to 바카라사이트 committee, given your background and 바카라사이트 type of institution you run?
I bring a passion for social mobility and inclusion in higher education. I bring my experience in strategic development, consumer, brand and asset management strategy, effective investment and organisational development. Given 바카라사이트 type of institution I run, I bring perspectives on how 바카라사이트 current regulatory regime impacts on 바카라사이트 efforts to diversify 바카라사이트 higher education sector ¨C increasing choice and effectiveness.

Is 바카라사이트 government doing enough to accommodate private providers?
The government has made some strides ¨C making student loan-funded places available, facilitating 바카라사이트 validation arrangements with public sector providers, and establishing a more transparent regulatory regime. However, 바카라사이트re is still more to do to create a truly level playing field and, importantly, more certainty, 바카라사이트reby facilitating investment and development of private providers.

Have you ever had a eureka moment?
The day in 1988 when, having transferred to Morgan Stanley¡¯s London office from New York, I realised that we were about a generation behind in 바카라사이트 UK [compared with] 바카라사이트 US in terms of 바카라사이트 role of women in work. I could have left out of frustration and to avoid 바카라사이트 hassle (some did), but I decided I could make a difference by becoming a role model for 바카라사이트 next generation of women (and men).

What advice would you give to your younger self?
Don¡¯t be too intimidated, assert yourself and take nothing for granted.

What are 바카라사이트 best and worst things about your job?
The best thing is working with passionate, capable people towards a shared goal and learning something new almost every day. The worst thing is we can¡¯t do it all at once.

john.elmes@tsleducation.com