Alison joined SUMS Consulting as a Principal Consultant in 2013, following a career leading large and complex professional service departments supporting the student experience and academic business of universities. She left her full-time role in 2018 but continues to provide services as an Associate Consultant.
Alison thrives on understanding the problems of clients, developing strong long-standing relationships and networks and finding creative solutions. Her in depth knowledge of the role of academic registry and student support activities has proven to be of great value to members looking to make improvements in their student lifecycles, from application to alumni.
As well as her consultancy services, Alison is a qualified coach and provides support to senior managers across the sector including a long-standing programme with the Humanities Division at the University of Oxford.
Alison worked in the higher education sector for over thirty years, and before joining SUMS was Academic Registrar of the University of Bath where she led a number of change programmes including the reorganisation of the academic administration and Faculty administration and the successful implementation of a new student record system. This gained her a shortlisting for the Times Higher Leadership and Management award in 2011.
How has Alison recently supported universities?
Over the last thirteen years Alison has supported many of SUMS’ members in delivering structural change, reviewing business processes and providing innovative solutions to long-standing problems. Her high-level experience and pragmatic approach have supported members from the Universities of Oxford and Hertfordshire and Queen Mary, University of London in providing professional development support to senior managers. Over the years, she has supported colleagues at University College, London in a review of student services, as an external advisor for the implementation of SITS at the University of Oxford and reviewed the committee structure at St George’s, University of London.
Outside of work, Alison is an avid nature and wildlife photographer travelling to far-flung corners of the globe to take pictures. Her photography has taken her to the arctic, camping on the ice in Hudson Bay and searching for polar bears, and she has followed in the footsteps of Ernest Shackleton from the Falklands, and through South Georgia to Antarctica. She is a Fellow of the Royal Photographic Society and has recently gained a PhD from the University of Dundee.