➡ Date: Thursday 22nd May 2025
➡ Time: 12.00pm – 4.30pm (UK time)
➡ Where: University of Birmingham
➡ Room: Room 109 Muirhead Tower
We invite you to the next event from the Governance and Governing Research Interest Group, which will take place in person at the University of Birmingham, in collaboration with the university’s Department of Public Administration and Policy.
Join RIG Co-Convenors, Dr Andy Allen and Dr Lizana Oberholzer, as they welcome Hayley Igbokwe from the Association of Colleges, who will present findings from their recent report ‘Enhancing Governance in Further Education: A Comprehensive Report on External Board Reviews’.
We are also delighted to have additional presentations, on a broad and fascinating range of governance themes, from Professor Ron Hill, Sarah Chung, Rosie Hoyle, Dr Tracey Price, and Assistant Professor Sonia Bussu.
See here for the full programme.
We hope you can join us.
Please note, this event is free to BELMAS members and £10 for non-members.
Registration will close at midnight (UK) on Thursday 15th May 2025.
Hayley Igbokwe
Hayley is Governance Manager at the AoC, where she plays a key national role in supporting, connecting and championing governance across the FE sector.
Before her role at AoC, Hayley built a varied career across education, science and care, holding senior positions in curriculum and quality assurance, working as a school clerk and even lecturing in animal studies – a subject close to her heart thanks to her early career as a zookeeper (yes, really!). With experience spanning teaching, leadership, policy and pastoral care, Hayley brings a deep understanding of the sector and a passion for inclusive, effective governance.
Professor Ron Hill
Ron is Hon. Professor of Education at the University of Stirling and Visiting Professor at the University of Sunderland.
Ron Hill has a background in teaching, local authority educational administration, college senior management and college governance advisory services. Ron has published a wide range of articles on the governance and governing of organisations with an
educational purpose, including the remuneration of college governors, on-line college governing practice, the role and experience of the college governance professional, reflective practice for college governance professionals, and the impact of external governance reviews.
Ron is an Associate of the College Development Network (Scotland) and he works as a consultant for Stone King LLP reviewing and supporting the governance of further education colleges, sixth form colleges and multi-academy trusts in England.
Sarah Chung
Sarah is an experienced educator and school governor. Sarah is a PhD candidate, School of Education, at the University of Birmingham, exploring the role of governor training in producing effective governing bodies.
Rosie Hoyle
Rosie is an experienced leader in the for-profit sector, an educator, chair, charity trustee and long-term school governor and interested in all things leadership and governance. She is currently studying for a PhD (Professional) Education at the University of Lincoln.
Dr Tracey Price
Tracey is a former primary school and special educational needs teacher and has served as a Governor (secondary and primary) for over fourteen years. Tracey is currently the Chair of Governors of the local governing committee at a large secondary academy.
Tracey was recently awarded a Doctor of Education by Anglia Ruskin University. Her doctoral thesis investigated the connection between school governance and stakeholder voices, with a particular emphasis on students’ perspectives and experiences.
Assistant Professor Sonia Bussu
Dr Sonia Bussu is Associate Professor in Public Policy at the University of Birmingham. She researches participatory governance and democratic innovations, and in her work she uses participatory and creative methods for research and public engagement.
She has led on projects on youth participation to influence mental health policy, youth employment, as well as coproduction of research on health and social care integration, and leadership styles within collaborative governance. She is scientific coordinator of a Horizon Europe project on participatory policymaking, INSPIRE. She is co-editor of Reclaiming Participatory Governance: Social Movements and the Reinvention of Democratic Innovation. Routledge
Joining instructions will be sent out before the event, so please keep an eye on your inbox for these. We look forward to seeing you at the event!
We record our events for sharing purposes on the BELMAS website and YouTube page. Please tick this box in your registration to acknowledge you are happy for us to record.
