New Deputy Pro-Vice-Chancellors (Education)

Professor Andy Clark has been appointed as the University of Warwick’s new Deputy Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education Policy) and Professor Will Curtis has been appointed Deputy Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education Quality & Standards).

Gwen van der Velden becomes Deputy Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education)

Chris Hughes has been extended in the PVC role until July 2023.

Professor Andy Clark, Deputy Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education Policy)

Andy has been instrumental in the development of University policy and student systems in the education space. He developed the Safety Net and Graduation Benchmark in April 2020 to mitigate the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic for students. As Chair of the University’s Review of Assessment group he is responsible for developing diversification of assessment, remedying failure and exam board procedures. In particular he developed the recent mitigating circumstances, self-certification, deferral of exams and moderation policies introduced over the last year.

He has also been integral to the development of new Education related IT systems as he chairs the MyWarwick App group as well as the Student Systems Group and is on the SPI Steering Committee. He leads the development of the mitigating circumstances portal and has been involved in the AEP and Marks Management System development this academic year. He will continue in his role with oversight of Undergraduate Studies where he co-chairs both AQSC and Course Approvals with Prof Will Curtis.

Professor Will Curtis Deputy Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education Quality & Standards)

Will has led the Online Teaching workstream for the last 6 months. He led a cross-institution team to develop of the Warwick Online Learning Certificate. More recently, his team has been responsible for developing the University’s strongly preferred approach to learning and teaching through the pandemic, in consultation with departments and central teams. The workstream developed the guidance and support for departments, alongside the framework to enable departmental autonomy and distinctiveness within a coherent and joined up institutional approach.

The workstream also established and coordinates the activities of the Learning Design Consultancy Unit. Will continues to chair the University’s Partnerships Committee and he co-chairs Academic Quality and Standards Committee and Course Proposal Scrutiny Panel with Professor Clark. He also continues to lead the Alternative Pathways focus of the Education Strategy – exploring flexible models and approaches to curriculum design, learning and teaching. Will maintains a percentage of his time in the Centre for Lifelong Learning, where he supervises PhDs and dissertations in FE and HE pedagogies, learning and culture and radical educational philosophies.

Professor Gwen van der Velden, Deputy Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education)

Gwen directly deputises for the PVC across the Education portfolio when required. Having focused specifically on the Student Learning Experience until recently, Gwen is now leading across a wider portfolio including Online Assessment and assessment systems and Inclusion and Participation (with Beccy Freeman, Dean of Students). She will continue to focus on student engagement, representation and communication, and to co-chair the Student Learning Experience and Engagement Committee with the SU Education Officer.

Chris Hughes (PVC Education) said:

“I am confident the new statuses will add further robustness to the Education Executive team and help keep us moving on the Education Strategy and the work in response to the current situation”.

 Membership of Education Executive can be found here.