Education Committee
This Committee is responsible for monitoring the University's performance against the Education Strategy. The Committee is also responsible for ensuring that high levels of academic standards and student experience are achieved and maintained.
Vacancy
We are currently inviting expressions of interest for governor vacancies across the Board of Governors and its Committees. This committee currently has a vacancy for the role of Governor, and we are particularly keen to hear from individuals with expertise in Further Education / Apprenticeships.
You can view further information including a role description and details of how to enquire.
Kevin Baughan OBE
Chair of the Education Committee and Independent member of the Board of Governors
Kevin is the former Deputy Chief Executive of Innovate UK where they focused on the development and delivery of Innovate UK’s investment portfolio regionally, nationally and globally. Progressing from roles as Innovate UK’s Director of Technology and Chief Development Officer, Kevin championed and pioneered many new important initiatives such as the proposals which led to the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund and the forging of closer working partnerships with Venture Capital funds leading to the Investment Acceleration programmes.
Kevin has an extensive track record in delivering transformative growth through leading edge innovations, in particular for the telecommunications industry, where they held leadership positions with BT, Nortel Networks and Virgin Media. Whilst Director of Technical Strategy at Virgin Media: Kevin pioneered Virgin’s rollout of the UK’s first mass-market superfast broadband in 2008; championed Virgin’s migration to a new generation digital entertainment service in 2010 and then as Director of Wireless, was responsible for the roll out of high-speed WiFi access across the London Underground in time for the opening of the 2012 Olympic Games.
Kevin holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Birmingham in Electronic and Electrical Engineering, a Master’s degree in Computer Science from Aston University and an MBA with distinction from Imperial College.
In addition to their role as a Governor at Coventry University Group, Kevin is a Trustee on the Board of the City and Guilds Group and an industry advisor on innovation.
Kevin is also Chair of the Research Committee and a member of the Board of Governors.
Kerry McGreavy
Staff Governor
Kerry was appointed as Staff Governor in September 2022. Having joined Coventry University in 2011 as an Employment Personal Tutor based within the Faculty of Business and Law, in 2018 she moved into a role managing the apprenticeship team, and is now the Head of Apprenticeships within CU Apprenticeships (Better Futures).
In 2013 Kerry, as a mature student, joined the first cohort of part time learners to study through the newly formed Coventry University College (later becoming the CU Group), achieving her BA in Management and Leadership in 2017.
Kerry developed an interest in coaching and mentoring during her early years as an Employment Personal Tutor, writing her dissertation on the topic while establishing a student mentoring scheme with the Government Economics Service. When the Coventry University Coaching and Mentoring Academy was formed in 2018 she joined the first cohort of internal staff to be trained as coach/mentors, and has continued to support colleagues though her involvement with the Academy ever since.
She also developed an interest in supporting the career ambitions of women, and has been part of both the Athena Swan Action Team and the Gender Leadership and Development Group. Kerry later joined the first cohort of staff members to undertake the Aurora programme, and has used these experience to further inform the support she offers colleagues through the Coaching and Mentoring Academy.
Kerry is also a member of the Research Committee and a member of the Board of Governors.
Akhil Sha
Student Governor
Appointed as Student Governor in July 2023, Akhil is Your SU’s Welfare Officer and a trustee of the Coventry University Students' Union. His journey at the University began in May 2022 when he joined as a Master of Business Administration student, specialising in Artificial Intelligence.
Akhil has played a number of diverse roles within the University, previously serving both as an Educational Transformation Representative and as a mentor, providing invaluable support to fellow students. Before venturing into academia, Akhil previously worked as a marketing manager for a sports company and held a position as an Assistant Professor in Engineering.
Outside of University, Akhil is a martial arts enthusiast and is a Karate black belt instructor affiliated with the Karate Federation of India. Most notably, in March 2018, he achieved a Guinness World Record certificate for partaking in the organisation of a 5000 all-female assembly of Karate students, showcasing their commitment to women's empowerment.
Academically, Akhil holds a Bachelor’s degree in Aeronautical Engineering and a Master's degree in Thermal Engineering, a testament to his passion for diverse fields.
Akhil is also involved in Coventry University’s Citizen scientist team project and is a member of the Board of Governors.
Panchami Satheesh
Student Governor
Appointed as Student Governor in July 2023, Panchami is Your SU’s Education Officer and through her role is determined to leave a lasting impact on her community. Despite facing challenges related to her disability, Panchami's academic journey led her to achieve an MSc in International Business Management from Coventry University.
Within the Coventry University community, Panchami has made significant contributions as a Student Ambassador, Peer Mentor, and Education Transformation Representative.
In July 2023 Panchami joined the esteemed Coventry Students’ Union Team. In both her roles as an Education Officer and student Governor, Panchami’s voice and insights will shape decisions, ensuring the student perspective is well-represented.
Panchami is also a member of the Board of Governors.
Mark Richards
Independent Governor
Mark won an open scholarship to read music at the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth, going on to secure a First before successfully completing an MMus in Theory and Analysis at King’s College, London and further research in the music of Webern at Cardiff University. Mark has tutored at several universities, but his main focus has been school teaching and senior leadership; at present he is Senior Deputy Head.
Prior to Queen Anne’s, Mark was Director of Studies and Head of Sixth Form at Saint Martin’s School in Solihull (GSA Day School). Mark has been a governor of three schools, is a trustee of the Society for Music Analysis and the Society for Minimalist Music and is a member of the Society for Musicology in Ireland.
Mark also teaches A Level Music at Queen Anne’s, is an experienced school inspector and A Level and IB music examiner; he has also written several books and articles associated with A Level Music.
When away from school leadership and music, Mark enjoys North Devon coastal walks with his wife, Claire, and their four golden retrievers, Bertie, Monty, Rufus and Gideon! He is also a member of the Research Committee.
Dr Jay Keyse
Independent Governor
Jay Keyse is an experienced enterprise strategist and IT services portfolio executive who has held leadership positions at EDS, HP, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, DXC Technology and ConvergeOne, and currently works for Gartner UK Ltd. as an Executive Partner.
During her career, Jay has led global systems integrator strategy and IT portfolio management functions, including being responsible for portfolio and product strategy, strategic partnerships, IT Advisory, M&A strategy, divisional Product Marketing, Learning and Development, Analyst Relations, and International partnerships.
Jay holds an MBA (Technology Management) from the Open University, an MSc. in Business and Management Research from Henley Business School, University of Reading, and is currently finalising a ‘strategy as practice’-focused Doctorate of Business Administration at Henley Business School.
Jay lives on the picturesque North Wales coast and is also a member of the Research Committee.
Richard Thomas
Independent Governor
Richard spent the early years of his career as an engineer and manager in the manufacturing industry before moving into Higher Education. He has worked with a number of UK Higher Education providers, in roles ranging from lecturer to Assistant Vice-Chancellor. Throughout his career, he has been heavily involved in teaching and curriculum development across a broad range of STEM related programmes. In addition, he has been involved in leading numerous applied research and knowledge exchange projects with a wide range of industrial partners.
Richard served on the PVC International Advisory Group for Universities Wales and is a former Visiting Professor at Wuhan University of Technology.
He has been heavily involved in STEM outreach activities and, during his time in the North of England, worked closely with the National Science and Media Museum on the Yorkshire Games Festival and with a number of cultural organisations, reflecting the diversity of the region. Alongside his academic career, Richard also worked as a music journalist for many years. He has been a member of the Council of Guild HE and the project board of the Teaching Excellence Framework, and is currently a governor at Wrexham Glyndwr University, a member of the Board of Trustees at the National Museum of Wales, and a non-executive director at Careers Wales. He is passionate about the power of education to transform the lives of individuals and the strong role that universities can play in the social and economic wellbeing of the UK.
Richard is also a member of the Research Committee.
Sue Horner MBE
Independent member of the Board of Governors
Appointed to the Board of Governors in September 2018, Sue began a career as a school teacher and has been at the forefront of developments within the national curriculum in the UK in her capacity as Director of Curriculum for England, leading a team working on the national curriculum and regulating GCSE and A level examinations. Sue is a leader in education and the arts with a commitment to young people, their futures and what they need to succeed.
Sue has also worked at an international level in Rwanda and Oman assisting in the redevelopment of their education systems and is recognised as an international expert on reading and its assessments.
Closely involved with arts charities, particularly those working with children and young people, they are focussed on creative writing and reading. In 2013 Sue was awarded an MBE for services to literature.
Sue is also Chair of the Charities Committee and a member of the Strategy, Finance and Resources Committee and the Board of Governors.
Joysy John MBE
Co-opted Governor
Joysy John MBE is an entrepreneur, edtech advisor, and global speaker. Previously she was the Strategy and Transformation Director at Trinity College London and is the ex-Director of Education at Nesta, UK’s innovation agency and ex-Chief Industry Officer of Ada, the National College for Digital Skills. She has over two decades of experience across different sectors in Singapore, the US and UK.
Joysy was the youngest person selected into the Future Leader Development Programme at JP Morgan Chase, however left her banking career to change education in the UK. She was appointed to the Department of Education’s Edtech Leadership Group and Welsh Government’s Schooling Reimagined expert-panel.
Helping to shape Edtech policy and promoting innovation in education saw Joysy awarded an MBE for services to the technology sector in the King’s birthday honours, having also been nominated as Top 100 Most Influential Black Asian Minority Ethnic leaders in UK Tech in 2019. She has a Computer Engineering (with Honours) degree from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore and an MBA (with Distinction) from London Business School and is on the Education Committee of The Royal Society, Advisory Council of Foundation for Education Development, Global Advisory Committee of Intrinsic Labs and Founder of Startup Leadership Program in the UK.
