The Academic Quality Services team is led by Phil Maull and Ceri Penhale who together have a wealth of Quality Assurance experience in the Higher Education sector.
Ceri joined Swansea University in 2010 as a Quality Administrator based in the Quality Office in Academic Registry (now named Academic Services). In this role, Ceri was secretary to the University Learning & Teaching Committee, was responsible for the University’s Annual Programme Review (APR) process and was responsible for conducting Periodic Programme Reviews across the University. In 2015 Ceri moved into her current role of Regulations, Quality and Standards Manager where she has management responsibility for the Academic Quality Services team, and responsibility for developing and leading the University’s academic regulations, quality assurance and enhancement processes and policies, as well as ensuring academic standards for the University’s academic portfolio.
Email: c.penhale@swansea.ac.uk
Currently Ceri is seconded to the Ymlaen project until 2025, and her duties are being carried out by Sophie Leslie.
Phil leads the Academic Quality Services team ensuring target delivery and impact, aligned to the University’s strategic plan, whilst promoting a flexible, engagement and wellbeing-led approach to work, founded in positive relationship building and mutual support.
Phil overseas quality assurance and enhancement activities for the University including, Programme Design, Approval and Review, External Engagement (External Examining, national and international Collaboration), Regulations, Policy and Publications and Student Feedback (data collection, analysis and implementation of change). Phil is a member of key University Quality Assurance Committees and Boards including:
- University Education Committee
- Regulations, Quality and Standards Committee
- Collaborative Partnership Board
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- Programme Management Board
- Programme Approval Committee
- SAILS Management Board
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Phil started his professional career in retail sales, learning the core principles of great service, and brought this into the Higher Education environment in 2002, supporting the establishment of the Medical School at Swansea University. Phil spent eight years in the Medical School establishing the Education Support Team and working on delivering exceptional student experience for graduate entry medics, undergraduate and postgraduate students across all areas from student finance, admissions, timetabling and learning, teaching and assessment, across multiple sites in partnership with the Health Boards of South Wales.
Phil then moved to Academic Registry as a Quality Officer, specifically tasked with student experience enhancement and programme and curriculum design and delivery, leading to the development of an innovative Student Experience Engagement Process and a new Programme Development and Management system. Following a period working with the Planning and Strategic Projects Unit as a Student Experience Project Manager, Phil was appointed as Head of Academic Quality Services in 2015, bringing 13 years of experience and ideas to the role, and combined this with cutting edge approaches from other environments, notably major tech companies.
Phil is passionate about inclusive curriculum and assessment design, student engagement and partnership working, data informed efficient approaches to Quality Assurance, systems thinking, design and development, and how to embed quality assurance and enhancement as a core and enabling business process within Higher Education.
Email: p.g.maull@swansea.ac.uk
Sophie is a is a Senior Fellow of the HEA. Her work examines student experience and quality enhancement within the university, student engagement and student partnership. Previous research has focused on students as partners, online learning communities and peer learning, and the development of staff attributes and their importance within the student experience. Sophie oversees all central student feedback channels including but not limited to the Big Swansea Surveys, Module Feedback and Unitu.
Sophie is currently seconded to the Regulations, Quality and Standards Manager role, and is responsible for development, implementation and on-going operational management of all aspects of regulations quality assurance and enhancement and ensuring appropriate external expectations and standards are maintained across the University.
Email: sophie.leslie@swansea.ac.uk
