Helen Higson

CEO

Coventry, West Midlands, United Kingdom43 yrs 4 mos experience

Highly Stable

Key Highlights

Proven leader in higher education management.
Expert in strategic solutions for academic innovations.
Strong track record in influencing and negotiating.

Stackforce AI infers this person is a leader in higher education management with a focus on strategic development and academic innovation.

Contact

Skills

Other Skills

Higher EducationLecturingManagementOrganizational DevelopmentLeadership DevelopmentE-LearningResearchProject ManagementChange ManagementStaff DevelopmentUniversity TeachingTeam LeadershipTeachingCoachingPublic Speaking

About

Professional, dynamic academic, experienced deputy Chief Executive Officer. Strong track record of leading at Board level, and managing, across functions and sites, including Executive-level within Education and Research. Delivers exceptional strategic solutions in a constantly changing and pressurised environment. Experienced consultant and coach, who evaluates and establishes academic innovations, professional practice and change. Successful, energetic and focused influencer and negotiator.

Experience

43 yrs 4 mos

Total Experience

8 yrs 2 mos

Average Tenure

3 yrs 3 mos

Current Experience

Aston business school

4 roles

Associate Dean MBA and Executive Education

Sep 2024 – Present · 1 yr 8 mos

Associate Dean Aston Business School

Jan 2023 – Aug 2024 · 1 yr 7 mos

Associate Dean for Accreditations

Mar 2021 – May 2024 · 3 yrs 2 mos

Looking after a number of culture-changing initiatives at Aston Business School to support staff and students, and to ensure that we are the most inclusive, high quality place to work possible:
Athena Swan, Race Equality Charter, AACSB, EQUIS, AMBA, Small Business Charter, League Tables

Personal Chair in Higher Education Learning and Management

Jan 2008 – Present · 18 yrs 4 mos

Aston university

6 roles

Head of Mathematics Department

Sep 2021 – Jan 2024 · 2 yrs 4 mos · Birmingham, England, United Kingdom

Provost and Deputy Vice Chancellor

Jan 2016 – Jun 2021 · 5 yrs 5 mos

Chief Academic Officer. Managing Executive Deans and Research and Education portfolio, academic Registry and Careers & Placements. Leading major online learning initiative with private partner. Academic Workforce planning and strategic development and implementation

Deputy Vice Chancellor

Jan 2012 – Jan 2016 · 4 yrs

Member of Executive Operations Group and University Council.
Line management of 115 staff and £10M budget across Pro-Vice-Chancellors, Learning and Teaching, Employability, Registry and Student Planning, Development and Alumni, Schools Liaison and Outreach

Senior Pro Vice Chancellor

Jan 2011 – Jan 2012 · 1 yr

(at this time the role of Deputy Vice Chancellor did not exist)
Member of Executive Operations Group and University Council
Developing learning and teaching strategy leading to improvement in student learning experience (see above)
Restructuring and centralisation of careers and placements support leading to results above benchmark
Restructuring of Registry and Admissions activity which has led to major increase in recruitment (e.g. 41% in undergraduate applications over last two years, expansion of postgraduate recruitment via pilot HEFCE Postgraduate Scholarship Scheme).

Pro Vice Chancellor for External Relations

Jan 2009 – Jan 2011 · 2 yrs

Facilitated substantial increase in international student recruitment
Led Graduate Advantage, a collaborative partnership across 10 universities which matches graduates into SME internships (funding from Regional Development Agency, HEFCE and ERDF, which has placed more than 4000 graduates into companies throughout its life)
Wrote successful bid to Working Neighbourhood Fund (WNF) and then ERDF to create and lead collaboration between Birmingham universities to help graduates set up their own businesses, culture changing within our institutions

Pro Vice Chancellor for International Relations

Jul 2007 – Jul 2009 · 2 yrs

Development of international strategy leading to key partnerships and extensive ERASMUS funding
Professionalisation of international student support functions and development of highly successful visa advice unit, visa refusal rate 2.4%
Setting up a cross-University International Foundation programme, in collaboration with local FE Colleges