Highlights

Andy has worked in HE data, systems and regulation for over thirty years.

Andy spent two decades as a Director at HESA leading on data specifications, systems development and external engagement.

Andy has worked as a consultant providing advice and support to HE providers, systems suppliers and government bodies across the world.

Andy was a member of the independent review of 2020 qualification grades that was commissioned by the Welsh Government.

Andy led a strand of projects to improve standards of data management and governance across the HE sector.

Andy led a review of HE student statistics across the UK for the Office of National Statistics.

Andy is a member of the DfE HE Data Taskforce, looking at issues of data burden and duplication across HE.

Andy is an accomplished speaker and writer on HE and data issues.

Career history

Executive Director – Digital and Regulation, University College of Estate Management (2023 to present)

Leads on all aspects of information technology, business systems and learning technology; Data Protection Officer; FoI compliance; data governance; analysis and external reporting; regulatory compliance.

Executive Director – Regulation, University College of Estate Management (2021 to 2023)

Andy worked on a freelance basis helping HE providers and other organisations with data and information issues. His work included:

• Reviews of systems, processes and data controls
• Supporting system developments and implementation
• Supporting all aspects of external (regulatory) data reporting
• Developing data strategy and governance frameworks
• Understanding and improving data quality assurance
• Advising on the use of data in regulation, published statistics and league tables

Director of Data Policy and Governance, Higher Education Statistics Agency (2016 to 2018)

Andy led on the delivery of HESA’s core data collection business, including data governance and specifications, data standards, stakeholder liaison and provider support. This work involved extensive engagement with government departments and the bodies that fund and regulate higher education across the four administrations of the UK. He also worked closely with the range of professional groups and bodies that exist across the sector.

Andy was the Convenor of the HE Data Landscape Steering Group which drives the standardisation and rationalisation of data flows across the HE data landscape and defines and promotes good practice in the processing, management and governance of data and information assets.

Andy worked with colleagues at HESA and across the HE sector on the Data Futures programme which is creating a more efficient and effective approach to HE data collection and was SRO for the Graduate Outcomes programme which is delivering a new approach to the collection of data about destinations of graduates from HE.

Andy was a member of the Department for Education Information Standards Board and the Health Education England Workforce Information Strategy Group.

As a member of HESA’s senior management team Andy worked closely with the HESA Board on all aspects of strategic planning and governance of the organisation.

Director, Higher Education Data & Information Improvement Programme (2013 to 2016)

The Higher Education Data & Information Improvement Programme (HEDIIP) was established following the call in the 2011 HE White Paper to redesign the HE information landscape to meet the needs of a wider group of users, reduce duplication in data collections and improve the timeliness and relevance of data and information about higher education.

As Director of the programme Andy secured funding from the four UK higher education funding bodies and put in place a full programme structure including a board of senior leaders from across the sector and a programme office based in Cheltenham.

HEDIIP worked with colleagues of all levels from HE providers and with a broad range of HE data collectors and processors. The programme negotiated and developed an architecture which will meet the goals set out in the White Paper.

Other HEDIIP projects included mapping and researching the existing data landscape, work to develop and implement elements of a common data language and a series of projects to understand and improve standards of data management and governance across the sector.

As a sector-level change programme, HEDIIP needed to navigate many aspects of sector-level politics and to win support and commitment from a large and diverse set of stakeholders.

Director of Standards and Development, Higher Education Statistics Agency (2010 to 2013)

This role focused on managing HESA data specifications and improving the HESA data management capability. The work involved extensive engagement with statutory customers and HE providers to ensure that HE policy and funding requirements were met through HESA records. Andy was also responsible for the team that managed metadata to support all aspects of HESA operations. This role also included working on broader issues around data standards across, and beyond, HE.

As a member of the agency’s senior management team Andy worked closely with the HESA Board on all aspects of strategic planning and governance of the organisation.

Between 2011 and 2013 Andy worked with the HE Regulatory Partnership Group (RPG) which brought together the Chief Executives of all the major sector bodies with a view to developing a new regulatory framework as envisaged in the 2011 HE White Paper. The work for RPG included leading the studies that recommended the establishment of HEDIIP.

Director of Quality and Development, Higher Education Statistics Agency (1998 to 2010)

In this role Andy had overall responsibility for software development, data processing and quality management throughout HESA. The software development team were responsible for the development and maintenance of HESA’s core data collection systems and in 2006 Andy led the team that developed the HEIDI on-line analysis system for HE institutions.

Andy led on ISO9001 accreditation and was also a member of the Information Security Management Group which oversaw the ISO27001 information security system.

During this time Andy undertook occasional consultancy assignments for government departments and agencies in Bulgaria, Saudi Arabia and Oman. He also acted as consultant for a UN statistics project based in Jordan that worked with Universities from across the middle-east region.

Data Quality Manager, Higher Education Statistics Agency (1996 to 1998)

Andy developed the HESA Data Quality Assurance strategy and Data Quality Model. This led to the implementation of a multi-layered approach to data quality assurance in HESA data collections which remains the basis of HESA collections to this day. This role involved extensive engagement with HE institutions and HESA customers to raise the awareness and understanding of data quality concepts.

Data Manager, Higher Education Funding Council for England (1993 to 1996)

Andy ran the HEFCE-HESES data collection which included writing the operational documentation, providing support to HE intuitions and managing the data collection and checking processes. He was also involved in development of the early HEFCE funding models. In 1994 he took responsibility for leading on HEFCE liaison with HESA and developed the first HESES/HESA reconciliation process.

Assistant Statistician, Polytechnics and Colleges Funding Council (1991 to 1992)

Andy was involved in running a number of PCFC data collections and providing analysis of data to support funding and policy work. PCFC merged with the Universities Funding Council to become HEFCE in April 1993.

Product Support Officer, Rolls-Royce plc (1987 to 1991)

Andy worked in Product Support on spares planning and provisioning for the RB199 (Tornado), Pegasus (Harrier) and Olympus 593 (Concorde). He produced monthly management information reports on the Military Engine Group’s spares business.

Education

• University of Oxford, Said Business School, High Performance Leadership Programme
• Open University, Masters in Business Administration (MBA)
• National Computer Centre, Certificate in Systems Analysis and Design