Wonkhe predicted her UUK presidency in last year’s Power List and Janet Beer’s rise to prominence in the sector only continues by the month. She comes to the role via a history of involvement in national initiatives to improve university teaching, with the National Student Survey steering group and the Board of the Higher Education Academy, to name just a few notable positions. This will serve her well in the critical role of UUK President which forms a key – sometimes semi-formal – link between the sector and a government with more than a few ideas of its own about teaching at university.
Her recent remarks at the UUK annual conference defending the sector against its recent critics were well received. Advancing a platform that demonstrates sensitivity to public opinion and a concern for graduate debt levels could be a winning combination, and we have arguably not seen enough of that this summer. As the new academic year gets under way, other vice chancellors will be looking to Beer’s leadership to steer the sector ship in most uncertain waters.