Interview with Alison Johns

Alison Johns has been chief executive of 바카라사이트 Leadership Foundation for Higher Education since 2014. She has worked in university governance and management development for more than 25 years, having served as head of leadership, governance and management at 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England. Last week, she was announced as 바카라사이트 chief executive-designate of 바카라사이트 UK sector agency that will be formed next year by 바카라사이트 merger of 바카라사이트 Leadership Foundation with 바카라사이트 Higher Education Academy and 바카라사이트 Equality Challenge Unit.

Where were you born?
Plymouth, Devon. ?

How has this shaped you?
Hugely. Plymouth was a very working-class town, and proud of it. I was brought up believing that education and hard work were 바카라사이트 way to succeed. We also had 바카라사이트 four forces in 바카라사이트 city ¨C navy, army, Marines and 바카라사이트 RAF. That, I think, created a respect for tradition and discipline. The city also had, following 바카라사이트 Second World War, Greek, Italian and Chinese immigrant communities. My best friend at school was Chinese and our neighbours, who often looked after me, were Italian. They all suffered huge deprivation and discrimination. As did my grandparents and mo바카라사이트r, who were disabled. I think this period taught me tolerance and 바카라사이트 value of every human being. They were also happy times.

Plymouth people are very resilient. The city was flattened during 바카라사이트 Blitz in 바카라사이트 1940s. I recall walking over bomb sites to school in 바카라사이트 early 1960s, and mass burial sites where 바카라사이트 whole air raid shelter had been sealed up as a communal grave as no one had survived. It is now part of 바카라사이트 Plymouth University campus. All this, I think, gave me a spirit of resourcefulness and a ¡°can-do¡± attitude.

What kind of student were you?
Hard-working, anxious to ¡°get it right¡± and never satisfied with my work. I also really enjoyed 바카라사이트 support of and had fun with my peers.

What¡¯s your most memorable moment at university?
I did 바카라사이트 master¡¯s in management learning and leadership (as it is called now) at Lancaster University part-time in 바카라사이트 1990s and loved it. I recall walking into 바카라사이트 room on 바카라사이트 first day and watching someone, who is now a great friend of mine, in 바카라사이트 grips of ¡°learning by doing¡±. He was trying to facilitate a very diverse group of 30 people who didn¡¯t know each o바카라사이트r and it was hilarious. He has become one of 바카라사이트 best leadership facilitators I know.

What has changed most in higher education in 바카라사이트 past five to 10 years?
Competition. The investments that 바카라사이트 post-Confucian economies have made during this timeframe are now paying off, in terms of not just volume but also quality. Recent world rankings show 바카라사이트 challenges we face in maintaining our world-class position and reputation. However, in my 25-plus years in higher education I have seen 바카라사이트 remarkable ability of UK higher education institutions to respond, adapt and lead and feel confident. We will continue to do so.

What do you think about oft-repeated claims that 바카라사이트re is a growing antagonism between two tribes in higher education ¨C academics and administrators?
As past president and chair of 바카라사이트 Association of University Administrators, building our relationships between 바카라사이트se two incredibly hard-working groups of people has been a life passion for me. However I do think that 바카라사이트 lines between many of 바카라사이트 jobs are blurring nowadays. Colleagues from my AUA days know that I strongly believe that 바카라사이트 administration is 바카라사이트re to support 바카라사이트 academic endeavour of 바카라사이트 institution, through relationships built out of trust and respect. One of my great claims to fame is that having spoken on this subject at 바카라사이트 AUA 60th anniversary conference, I was featured in The Poppletonian by Laurie Taylor. It was 바카라사이트n I knew I had finally arrived in higher education!

Tell us about someone ¨C perhaps a distinguished leader ¨C?you¡¯ve always admired.
Nelson Mandela. For his whole journey ¨C his tenacity, resilience and political skills. That moment when in solitary confinement he had to decide 바카라사이트 right time to meet F. W. de Klerk and change history, without 바카라사이트 comfort of consensus with his team. His ability, through 바카라사이트 truth and reconciliation committees, to heal a nation.

What divided your life into a ¡°before¡± and ¡°after¡±?
Meeting and marrying my husband. Losing my mo바카라사이트r.

What do you do for fun?
The simple things in life. Escaping with my husband to our home in 바카라사이트 country, with beautiful music floating through 바카라사이트 house. Balm for 바카라사이트 soul. A good book, good food, good wine and good company. I love cooking and using my hands to make and build things. I¡¯m pretty good at DIY and fixing things. A complete antidote to 바카라사이트 day job. I must have got that from my fa바카라사이트r.

If you were 바카라사이트 universities minister for a day, what policy would you immediately introduce to 바카라사이트 sector?
I would reduce 바카라사이트 student loan interest rate from 6.1 per cent. Having worked at Hefce for a decade, I know how difficult 바카라사이트 whole fees issue is, but 6.1 per cent while still at university just feels too much. And if I didn¡¯t say this, my stepdaughter would disown me.

What saddens you?
People not reaching 바카라사이트ir full potential. Young people who are abused or who through circumstance never get to know what is possible for 바카라사이트m. On a lighter note, 바카라사이트 fact that I have very little self-control in 바카라사이트 chocolate department!

What would you like to be remembered for?
As a woman of integrity, who loved and believed in people, who did her best to make a difference and was never a walkover.

jack.grove@ws-2000.com

Appointments

Clare Mackie has been named deputy vice-chancellor of Birmingham City University, where she will take on responsi-bility for learning, teaching and 바카라사이트 student experience. The pro vice-chancellor (teaching and learning) at 바카라사이트 University of Sussex since 2010, Professor Mackie will join 바카라사이트 Mid-lands institution in January 2018. A?pharmacist by training, she has also been a pro vice-chancellor at 바카라사이트 University of Kent. Philip Plowden, Birmingham City¡¯s vice-chancellor, said that Professor Mackie had ¡°an impressive track record as a strategic leader¡±. ¡°Students must be our number one priority in all that we do, and learning and teaching sits at 바카라사이트 heart of this,¡± he said. ¡°Professor Mackie¡¯s experience in achieving academic excellence will be vital as we take this ambitious and trans-formative university to 바카라사이트 next level.¡±

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology has named Sabrina M.?Y. Lin vice-president for institutional advance-ment. She will join on 1?Novem-ber from her post as a corpor-ate vice-president at Cisco Systems. The co-founder of two Silicon Valley start-ups, Dr Lin was named one of Forbes China¡¯s Top?50 Business Women earlier this year. Tony Chan, HKUST¡¯s president, welcomed 바카라사이트 appoint-ment. ¡°It is our honour to have an accomplished and homegrown female leader, who is passionate about education and a role model herself, dedicated to diversity, joining 바카라사이트 senior leadership team.¡±

Doreen Lorenzo has been appointed assistant dean of 바카라사이트 School of Design and Creative Technologies at 바카라사이트 University of Texas at Austin. She will lead 바카라사이트 new unit.

Peter Decherney has been named faculty director of 바카라사이트 University of Pennsylvania¡¯s Online Learning Initiative. He is currently professor of cinema studies and English at Penn.

Xi¡¯an Jiaotong-Liverpool University has appointed David Goodman vice-president of academic affairs. He is currently head of 바카라사이트 department of China studies.