Ambassador: Hilary Lowe
- Current role:
- Support staff
- Institution:
- Oxford Brookes University
- Discipline:
- Multi-disciplinary
Biography
I have recently taken on the role as Oxford Brookes University's Associate Dean for Civic and Community Engagement. Previously I was Associate Dean for External Relations and Enterprise in the University's Institute of Education for a number of years; prior to that a comprehensive school senior manager. Whilst at the Institute I was a teacher trainer, director of Continuing Professional Development and Consultancy, and led a national training programme for teachers in inner city schools for the DfE's Excellence in Cities programme. Most recently I led Oxford Brookes to become one of the first universities to sponsor an Academy and am the University's Oxford Academy governor.
What motivated you to engage with the public?
My interests are in ensuring that universities work for beneficial interactions with all the communities they serve. Teaching, learning and research need to be informed by social and economic concerns and in turn have a positive impact on those concerns.
Universities must play a full role in civic decisions and activity. They need to be publicly accessible, not only to a diverse student body but also by all those who live in proximity to an institution of higher education.
Describe the public engagement work you have done
My involvement is as the University's Community Engagement Associate Dean. I am the lead for our work with the Oxford Academy.
By dint of my role I have a responsibility and mandate to advocate for my own university's public engagement, and am passionately committed to that role.
