Alison Johns announces that she will retire after a 34-year career in higher education. She was appointed Chief Executive in September 2017 when three sector agencies merged to form Advance HE.
Alison Johns, Advance HE’s Chief Executive, is to retire in June 2025 after 34 years of service in higher education. She was appointed Chief Executive in September 2017 when three sector agencies merged to form Advance HE.
Advance HE has since become an integral part of the higher education landscape, achieving many notable milestones and initiatives. Alison’s leadership and guidance has led to:
- Clear strategic direction through ourStrategy 2021-24and, most recently, our2030 Strategy
- Membership growth to 450 institutional members, including 120 outside the UK
- The development of a portfolio of‘Member Benefits’designed to tackle key sector and members’ strategic priorities and challenges; research viaCollaborative Development Funds,Global Impact GrantsandInnovative Practice Grantswhich spotlight good practice from members around the world; many high-value networks such as theDVC/PVC Networkand ourConnect platformwhich has more than 25,000 users worldwide; and an extensive range of evidence in ourKnowledge Hubto inform enhancement, including the annualStudent Academic Experience Survey, published with HEPI
- Relaunches of theAthena Swan and Race Equality Charters, revised to meet sector needs, particularly the 145 and 112 respective participating institutions; a new, complementary, ‘holistic approach to EDI’ which is in advanced development; robust guidance aroundFreedom of Speech and Academic Freedom, alongside ‘Good Campus relations’to help ensure that all voices have the opportunity to be heard.
- A greater focus on leadership: over 60 VCs areTMP alumni– with access to a new Alumni Network; the 13,000Aurora alumnaefrom our leadership development initiative for women are better placed for career progression and promotion; a newLeadership Frameworkis in advanced stages of development
- High-impact projects in Teaching and Learning where theProfessional Standards Frameworkhas been relaunched – and is more accessible and contextualised; the number ofFellowshas nearly doubled to just short of 200,000 in 117 countries; 180 institutions have Advance HE accredited provision; our revisedEssential Frameworks for Student Successsupport institutions develop contextualised strategies for their students; and theCATE awardswere launched to recognise the importance of collaboration and teamwork, complementing the individual award of the National Teaching Fellowship scheme
- A greater focus ongovernance effectiveness, supporting members through reviews, governor development, academic assurance work in collaboration with Universities UK, GuildHE and CUC; delivering a new Board diversity toolkit – with complementary research, theDiversity of Governors in Higher Education– and acompetencies map. Alison has also led a number of interventions to support leadership and governance to enhance higher education systems including in Ukraine, Pakistan, Egypt, Uzbekistan and Bangladesh.
Alison Johns said, “I have been fortunate enough to work with some extraordinarily gifted and talented people in higher education throughout my career. I am especially proud of the work we have delivered at Advance HE with and on behalf of our members and I thank my colleagues and all those who have contributed to our work for their exemplary dedication and commitment.
“Our purpose is to help higher education transform lives by realising the potential of its people. Working with our members, I am confident that we have made significant strides in enhancing Teaching and Learning so that students can flourish through their academic experience; we’re offering many more opportunities to develop leadership at every career stage – especially for women and minority ethnic staff; we’re supporting effective governance with more diverse Boards, creating a constructive challenge culture to enhance institutional effectiveness. Moreover, running through every vein of this work is our commitment to support our members to create inclusive campuses so that everyone can flourish and where all talent is recognised.
“I would like to thank the members of Advance HE for their continued partnership and I look forward to seeing those relationships flourish in the coming years. Finally, I would like to thank the Chairs and members of our Board whose challenge and wise counsel have been instrumental and vital to the successful delivery of our work.”
Professor Mark E. Smith, Chair of the Board, said, “Alison’s energy and leadership of Advance HE has been outstanding. From the challenges that came with merging three different organisations, to steering the team through the unchartered waters of the pandemic, and now in an era of significant sector financial challenge, her guiding hand has been firmly on the tiller throughout. In particular, her ability to connect with members and wider stakeholders to understand their strategic and contextualised challenges has been vital. Since I became Chair it is clear that Advance HE is widely seen as a key and valued player in our sector. These achievements reflect Alison’s qualities as an empathetic, insightful and respected leader who has been an inspiration to those that have worked both with and for her. I have greatly enjoyed working with Alison and she leaves in the summer with our warmest thanks and very best wishes for the future.”
Sir Nigel Carrington, who was Chair of Advance HE when it formed and appointed Alison, said “I had no doubt from the very outset that Alison would be an outstanding leader of Advance HE – and so it has proved. She showed extraordinary skill, sensitivity and determination in merging the three sector agencies which became Advance HE in 2017 and worked very effectively with the Board and her executive team as we navigated the organisation’s complex restructuring. I have enjoyed watching Advance HE continuing to develop under her leadership since I stepped down as Chair in 2021.”
Alison’s extensive career in higher education spans leadership roles across multiple institutions and organisations. Before leading Advance HE, she served as CEO of the Leadership Foundation for Higher Education and held senior positions at the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), where she headed Leadership, Governance and Management Policy establishing that new policy area as an established sector policy theme. Her work in Australia led to her advising the Australian Government on their strategy to promote and enhance teaching and learning excellence in the Australian HE system leading to the establishment of the OLT (Office for Learning and Teaching). Her early career included significant contributions to higher education administration at the University of Plymouth, where she held one of the first roles in leadership and organisational development.
Throughout her career, she has maintained active involvement in international higher education through various board positions, including roles with Ukraine’s National Agency for Higher Education Quality Assurance, Pakistan’s National Academy for Higher Education and the Arab Universities Association Leadership Board. In the UK, among other roles, she is Deputy Chair of Court, University of St Andrews, and past Chair and President of the Association of University Administrators, now AHEP.
Though retiring in the summer, Alison will continue to support Advance HE in its work with the British Council and ministries overseas, and in the smooth transition and handover to her successor. A recruitment process for the new Chief Executive will be announced in due course.
