Sally Hayes

Dr Sally Hayes started her time at the OU as Director of Strategy Planning and Development in the Faculty of Wellbeing Education and Language Studies in 2017 and then acted as the Interim Executive Dean of WELS (and VCE member). These experiences have given her great insight in both the academic and professional services life of the University, within and now outside of the Faculties. Before that, she spent time working as Independent Chair of Third Sector Leeds; in a number of academic roles at Leeds Beckett University including Associate Dean, Strategic planning and Development and Head of the School of Health and Wellbeing. Her leadership journey began as a nurse in clinical roles before joining a Primary Care Trust in 2001, her final role being Lead Nurse, as a member of the Executive Committee and Board with many and varied accountabilities. This all prepared Sally for her career in Higher Education, when she sees education as simply transformation, allowing the development of individuals and communities to be resilient and powerful parts of our society.

As Director Students, Sally gets to work with fantastic people to support our Pro Vice Chancellor-Students - Dr Liz Marr, in delivering work which focuses on improving things for students. That is both about the student experience and student outcomes. It is all about working collaboratively across the University including our brilliant Student Association, to Improve Student Success, Increase Student Satisfaction and Voice (how effectively we hear and respond to feedback from students), Improve Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, and Employability (which here at the OU is about both career and personal development). This mean Sally is in the thick of the strategic life of the OU, responsible for engaging with colleagues in all corners of the university to enable them to do all they can to improve student success. One day this is about assessment practices, another tuition, and then employability. It is a very full and fast moving agenda. Currently a priority involves leading work related to the Office for Student expectations. The OfS are our regulator and they are interested in how we improve Student Outcome measures. Sally loves the challenge, variety and reach the role brings.

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