UK Higher Education International Unit
The mission of the UK Higher Education International Unit (IU) is to represent the higher education sector internationally and to empower, with skills and knowledge, the sector to secure maximum value from international opportunities.
The IU achieves this by initiating and carrying out high profile projects and activities to support and develop the breadth and depth of the UK HE sector’s international activities. It supports the sector’s engagement in European Union and Bologna Process policy debates. The IU is a central observatory and intelligence unit on higher education internationalisation and policy developments for UK higher education institutions.
The IU is funded by Universities UK, Guild HE, Higher Education Funding Council for England, Higher Education and Funding Council for Wales, Scottish Funding Council, Department for Employment and Learning (Northern Ireland), and Quality Assurance Agency.
Universities UK is closely associated with a number of organisations working to support and promote the UK higher education sector, and is a co-funder of the UK Higher Education International Unit. See Universities UK for further information.
Staff Profiles
Dr Joanna Newman, Director of the UK Higher Education International Unit
The International Unit drives the delivery of the UK Higher Education sector’s international agenda.
Recent initiatives include leading UK HE’s involvement in the Brazilian Science Without Borders initiative and a new HE Global Advisory Service, aimed at increasing the sector’s engagement in trans national education.
Joanna represents the IU on the International Education Advisory Forum, is a Board Member of the School of Advanced Studies and regularly represents the sector on national and international platforms.
She is an Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Southampton and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.
Catriona Finlayson, Communications and Public Affairs Advisor
Cat is responsible for the strategic communications for the International Unit including media relations, public affairs, stakeholder engagement, publications and digital communications including the website www.international.ac.uk
With over a decade of communications experience, prior to joining the International Unit, Cat worked in a number of roles including managing international engagement at the British Library and was previously at Oxford Brookes University.
Ruth Coustick, Communications Assistant/Executive Assistant
Ruth ensures the smooth running of the International Unit, manages the Director’s diary and assists with the programme of events, communications and publications.
Dr Christian Yeomans, Policy Advisor
Chris Yeomans is responsible for Policy at the Unit. He has a specialist interest in European research policy and doctoral issues. Previous to joining the International Unit, Chris was a lecturer at Aberystwyth University, where his teaching and research focused on European governance. Chris has also held positions at the European Parliament and with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
Lucy Shackleton, European Policy Officer
Lucy’s focus is on European higher education. This includes the Bologna Process, student mobility and the modernisation of higher education in the European context. She also works with colleagues on a range of other International Unit activities. Lucy has recently joined the International Unit from UNESCO Headquarters in Paris
George Grayson, International Policy Officer
George’s focus is on student mobility, trans-national education and research collaboration in higher education in the wider global context.
Alex Pardoe, Project Manager
Alex is project manager for the HE Global Integrated Advisory Service which will bring together into one central resource UK Government departments and sector organisations with a role in supporting UK higher education institutions’ transnational education activities. HEGlobal is an initiative of the UK HE International Unit and Universities UK, supported by UK Trade & Investment, UK Export Finance and the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills.
Sean Cope, Project Support Officer
Sean assists with the planning and implementation of projects within the International Unit. This includes the organisation of events and communications.
Andy Heath, International Policy Officer
Andy joins the team in January 2012 and will focus on higher education in Asia.
