QAA appoints first student Board member
The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) announced today that it had appointed its first student as a full Board member. The successful candidate, Will Haywood, is Academic Affairs Executive at Sheffield Hallam University Union of Students. He will take up his position immediately.
Sam Younger, QAA’s Chairman, commented: ‘Will’s appointment is an important step, which underlines QAA’s commitment to listening and responding to the student voice. He was appointed by the Board from a strong field of candidates in open competition.’
QAA’s Board is responsible for setting the strategic direction of the organisation and the way QAA conducts its business. Appointing a student Board member is one of several initiatives QAA is taking to strengthen its work with students and student representatives.
Speaking about his new position Will Haywood said: ‘I am really excited to be joining the QAA Board of Directors. At Hallam Union I've been involved in work on engaging students in quality processes at the University and, having seen the impact this has had on the student experience, I am looking forward to playing my part in improving the engagement between students and the QAA.’
QAA’s next Board meeting is on 19 March 2008.
Ends
For further information please contact Katie Sharrock, Project Officer - Communications, on 01452 557074, k.sharrock@qaa.ac.uk
A photograph of Will Haywood is available on request.
Notes to editors
QAA is a company and a charity. The QAA Board of Directors has 15 members. Four directors are appointed by the HE funding bodies; four by the representative bodies of the heads of HE institutions; and seven (including the Chairman) are independent members appointed by the Board itself, including the student member. The Board has benefited from a student voice at its meetings since 1997. That contribution will now be made by a student Board member rather than a student observer. In all, Will Haywood will be the sixth student to have contributed to the Board’s work.
The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) safeguards the public interest in sound standards of higher education qualifications, and informs and encourages continuous improvement in the management of the quality of higher education across the UK. For more information visit www.qaa.ac.uk
Will Haywood
Will is the Academic Affairs Executive at Sheffield Hallam Students’ Union, with responsibility for co-ordinating the student representative system. He is also a Member of Sheffield Hallam University Board of Governors. Will is taking a sabbatical year from reading BSc (Hons) Science with Education (and Qualified Teacher Status). Prior to this, he was Chair of Union Representative Council, Secretary of the Societies Standing Committee and a delegate to NUS National Conference.
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