Dean for Taught Students

INTERNAL APPLICANTS ONLY

University of Exeter
Dean for Taught Students

We are currently experiencing seismic change across all sectors and we can expect this pace of change to continue. Universities and global education and research will no doubt be at the forefront of this change. To ensure that we lead from the front and grasp the exciting opportunities on offer now and into the future, we are committed to ensuring that we have the insights, leadership and capabilities within our university.  This is also an exciting time for the University, having launched our ambitious Strategy 2030, which aims to use our outstanding education, research and global connections to create a sustainable, healthy and socially just future. To achieve this, we need to transform our undergraduate offer to develop our students as highly employable and sought after, future positive change makers. Appointing a Dean for Taught Students is, therefore, strategically vital in achieving our ambitious aims.

The Dean for Taught Students will be responsible for the academic leadership and management of our taught education portfolio, working collaboratively and in partnership with the Deans and Associate Deans and senior academics in our Faculties, senior Professional Services colleagues (particularly the Director for Education and Student Experience and Director for Teaching Excellence & Enhancement), external partners and colleagues across the University. They will be responsible for driving forward the first priority in our education strategy, which is to enhance our undergraduate offer in the quality of learning, teaching, student support and student outcomes; and in international attractiveness. Therefore, the Dean will play a key role in realising the implementation of Curriculum for Change, which captures the agreed the strategic approach to realising this priority and our education and student experience commitments in Strategy 2030. Some measures of success for Curriculum for Change include international and home student demand; maintenance of strong absolute NSS performance; improvement in Graduate Outcomes; TEF performance; the University's reputation for education in national and global league tables.

This role will entail a particular focus on the strategic leadership and support of Faculties and Professional Service colleagues to ensure a high-quality education and experience for all learners, reflective of the diversity of our community, and for developing a culture of inclusivity and belonging. You will be responsible for promoting the development of excellent market driven undergraduate academic programmes and overseeing the quality assurance framework that surrounds them. This will involve championing education enhancement to ensure Exeter is at the forefront of pedagogic innovation. Working with national and international partners will be key to the success of the Dean’s role. 

The Dean for Taught Students will retain the roles and responsibilities described in the Charter, Statutes and Ordinances, and will be ‘first amongst equals’ in relation to the operation of the Education Board and the delivery of its functions and will lead on all aspects of Undergraduate Provision. With respect to the Ordinances, the Dean for Taught Students will delegate duties to the Dean for Postgraduate and Online Education and to the Dean for Partnership and Professional Education. Overarching recommendations regarding matters of quality and standards relating to students will be reserved to the Dean for Taught Students to ensure consistency of decision making and the maintenance of academic rigour with respect to UG, PGT and other taught provision.

The Dean will report directly to DVC-Education.

The University of Exeter is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and through this appointment process it is the University’s clearly stated aim to develop candidate pools that include applicants from all backgrounds and communities. The University particularly welcomes applications from women, people from black and minority ethnic communities, the LGBT+ community and from disabled people.

If you share our University’s bold vision for the future, we would be delighted to receive your application. See details on how to apply below.

The appointment of the Dean for Taught Students will be determined by a Selection Committee, chaired by the Vice President and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education and Student Experience).

Interviews will be taking place on the 8th of April.

For further information, or for a confidential conversation, please contact Professor Tim Quine at [email protected]