Purpose of the committee

The Education and Student Experience Committee (ESEC) is a joint committee of Senate and the Executive. Its purpose is to provide institutional leadership and oversight of education and student experience matters, ensuring alignment with the University Strategy, strategic priorities and regulatory requirements.

ESEC serves as the primary strategic forum for education and student experience matters, ensuring clear decision-making pathways, effective coordination and coherent governance across its area of remit. The Committee exercises delegated authority where applicable and makes recommendations to Senate and the Executive on matters beyond its remit.

The Committee operates in three capacities:

• Decision-making, where authority has been delegated by Senate
• Assurance, where the Committee scrutinises evidence and provides assurance to Senate and/or the Executive
• Advisory, where the Committee provides recommendations to the PVC(E), PVC(SE), Senate or Executive bodies

Responsibilities

In discharging its responsibilities, the Committee uses strategic objectives, regulatory requirements, institutional performance information and risk to determine its programme of work, priorities and agenda planning.

1. Assurance

The Committee provides assurance to Senate on:

• academic quality, standards and student outcomes
• the effectiveness of institutional frameworks relating to education
• institutional compliance with relevant regulatory requirements
• governance, reporting and escalation arrangements within its remit

2. Advisory

The Committee:

• advises on education and student experience strategy and priorities
• considers recommendations from sub-committees, working groups, and other governance bodies
• advises on major initiatives and areas of strategic risk
• promotes continuous enhancement and effective student partnership

3. Delegated Decision-Making

The Committee:

• agrees and/or recommends policies, frameworks, procedures and initiatives within its remit
• determines institutional priorities and actions within its delegated authority
• recommends matters requiring approval by Senate or the Executive
• recommends the establishment, continuation or closure of major projects and task-and-finish group

4. Governance and Coordination

The Committee:

• maintains oversight of the institutional education and student experience portfolio
• coordinates significant activity across the University to minimise duplication and ensure alignment
• oversees the effectiveness of governance structures within its remit
• uses strategic objectives, performance information, regulatory requirements and risk to inform its programme of work

5. Risk

The Committee:

• maintains a thematic risk register and ensures that key risks specific to the Committee’s remit are identified and assessed
• allocates appropriate ownership for managing each risk down to an acceptable level 
  
• regularly monitors and reviews the implementation and effectiveness of mitigation actions and controls  
• if appropriate, escalates significant or emerging risks in a timely manner for consideration at an institutional level by UEB

Reporting Relationships

The Committee reports to Senate and the Executive (via the Academic Coordination Board) after every meeting through a written summary report

Procedural Rules

In the absence of any specific rules, the procedure is as set out in the Standing Orders of Senate

Meeting frequency

The Committee meets five times a year, with additional meetings scheduled as required.

Quorum

The quorum for meetings shall be one-third of the membership.

Membership

Ex-Officio Members

• Professor Momna Hejmadi, Pro‑Vice‑Chancellor (Education) (co-Chair)
• Professor Cassie Wilson, Pro‑Vice‑Chancellor (Student Experience & Sport) (co-Chair)
• Ian Blenkarn, University Secretary & Registrar
  
• Associate Pro‑Vice‑Chancellor (Education) - Vacancy
• Professor Nathalia Gjersoe, Associate Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Student Experience)
• Professor Marion Harney, Associate Dean (Education) - Faculty of Engineering and Design
• Dr Gail Forey, Associate Dean (Education) - Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
• Professor Andrew Burrows, Associate Dean (Education) - Faculty of Science
• Dr Tim Wakeley, Associate Dean (Education) - School of Management
• Nic Morteuil, SU Representative, nominated by the SU, term of office 2027
• Helen Slater, SU Representative, nominated by the SU, term of office 2027

Appointed Members

Two Senate members with relevant education and/or student experience expertise, appointed by Senate.

• Dr Jo Hyde, Senior Lecturer (Department of Computer Science)
• Professor Ian Crawford, Professor (School of Management)

Appointments of Senate members to this committee are made in accordance with the procedures set out in the Terms of Reference of the Senate Appointments Committee

In Attendance (as required)

• Kate Robinson, University Librarian
• Gavin Edwards, Chief Digital Officer
• Dorte Stevenson, Director of International Relations
• Rachel Sheer, Director of Academic Registry
• Dr Christopher Bonfield, Director of the Centre for Learning and Teaching
• Jane Loveys, Director of Campus Services
• Helen Stringer, Director of Employability and Student Success
• Nic Streatfield, Director of Student Support and Safeguarding
• Catherine Baldwin, Director of Student Recruitment & Admissions
  
• Ryan Bird, SU Chief Executive
• George Munro, SU Education Manager
• TBC, Chair of AQSC
• Dr Christine Edmead, Chair of DOS/DOT Forum
• Professor Polly McGuigan, Head of Academic Department (Department for Health)
• Amanda Harper, Director of Operations (Faculty of Science)
• Emily Pollinger, Policy and Programmes Manager (Education)
• Kate Awdry, Policy and Programmes Manager (Student Experience and Sport)
• Sophia Ward, Policy and Programmes Manager
• Laura Andrews, Governance Partner

Attendees are welcome to attend meetings at their discretion and may nominate an appropriate alternate to attend in their place where necessary. The Governance Partner may highlight meetings where agenda items are of particular relevance to an attendee’s area of work.

Other attendees may be co-opted or invited for specific meetings/items at the discretion of the Chairs.

Where any ex-officio member is unable to attend the Committee, they may nominate an alternate to attend in their place. The nominee assumes the full membership rights of the ex-officio member.

Appointed Members serve terms of three years at a time. Most members can serve two consecutive terms (a total of six years) but in exceptional circumstances may serve a maximum of three consecutive terms (a total of nine years). All terms are subject to renewal.

Meeting Dates

A full schedule of meeting dates for all committees and boards is available here

The following timescales normally apply:

• Paper submission deadline: Two weeks before the scheduled meeting date
• Circulation of agenda and papers: One week before the scheduled meeting date

Items for future meetings should be discussed with the Governance Partner as early as possible.

Version Information

These Terms of Reference are reviewed by the Committee annually or more frequently as needed.

• Owner: Education and Student Experience Committee
• Approver: Senate
• Date of last approval: 7 October 2026