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 and in 2015 moved into her current role of Regulations, Quality and Standards Manager. Ceri has management responsibility for the Academic Quality Services team, and responsibility for developing the University’s quality assurance and enhancement processes, academic regulations and policies. Ceri also ensures that the University’s academic portfolio meets the higher education standards as set out by the Quality Assurance Agency.
Currently Ceri is seconded to the Ymlaen project until 2025, and her duties are being carried out by Sophie Leslie.
Email: c.penhale@swansea.ac.uk
Head of Academic Quality Services
Phil Maull, Head of Academic Quality Services
Phil leads the Academic Quality Services team ensuring target delivery, impact, and alignment to the University’s strategic plan. Phil is 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. These include Programme Design, Approval and Review, External Engagement (External Examining, national and international collaboration), Regulations, Policy, Publications and Student Feedback (data collection, analysis and implementation of change). Phil is a member of key University Quality Assurance Committees and Boards including:
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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 across all areas. These included student finance, admissions, timetabling, teaching and assessment across multiple sites, and 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. This has led to the development of an innovative Student Experience Engagement Process and a new Programme Development and Management system. Following a period of 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. Phil brought 13 years of experience and ideas to the role, combined with cutting edge approaches from other environments, notably major tech companies.
Phil is passionate about inclusive curriculum and assessment design, and student engagement and partnership working. Phil advocates data informed, efficient approaches to quality assurance and enhancement, and works on embedding it as a core and enabling business process within Higher Education.
Email: p.g.maull@swansea.ac.uk
Regulations, Quality and Standards Manager
Sophie Leslie, Regulations, Quality and Standards Manager (secondment)
Sophie oversees all central student feedback channels including but not limited to the Big Swansea Surveys, Module Feedback and Unitu. Her work focuses on enhancing student experience, student engagement and student partnership. Her work is informed by previous research that 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 is a Senior Fellow of the HEA.
Sophie is currently seconded to the Regulations, Quality and Standards Manager role, and is responsible for development, implementation and ongoing operational management of all aspects of quality assurance and enhancement. She works on ensuring that appropriate external expectations and standards are maintained across the University.
Email: sophie.leslie@swansea.ac.uk