Professor Rachel Cragg

Before joining Buckinghamshire New University in 2020, I was Pro Vice-Chancellor, Academic Development at the University of Central Lancashire. I previously held director level responsibilities at the Open University and have taught at King’s College London and London South Bank University.

I studied for my PhD at Durham University, where my specialist interest was urban regeneration; I went on to teach human geography. On achieving my HE teaching qualification I took a role at King’s Institute for Learning and Teaching. My passion for teaching and learning in higher education was ignited. 

Prior to my senior academic roles, I spent a decade working in policing where I was responsible for the police national curriculum and supporting quality assurance of delivery. I worked on a major review of police learning and leadership which led to a secondment opportunity to the Home Office, where I led the programme of activity to develop a professional body for the police service, the College of Policing, which launched in 2003.

At the Open University I led a major student experience change programme and at the University of Central Lancashire I developed and delivered the University Learning and Teaching Strategy.

I have published on culture, change and community in higher education and I have a keen interest the higher education sector’s role in providing technical and vocational education.

• Senior Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education and Digital)