Nicola Dandridge
Nicola Whitmont Dandridge CBE is the Chief Executive of Universities UK, the body which represents universities in the United Kingdom, a post she took up in September 2009.[1]
She was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2015 Birthday Honours List for services to higher education.[2][3]
Contents
Early career
Dandridge originally qualified as a lawyer, initially working in the City before moving to Glasgow to requalify in Scotland where she worked for 10 years specialising in equality law. She was educated at Oxford, London Metropolitan and Glasgow universities and found them all "completely outstanding".[4][5]
Equality Challenge Unit
From 2006 to August 2009 Dandridge was Chief Executive of Equality Challenge Unit [6] (ECU) who promote the equality and diversity for staff and students in higher education across all four nations of the UK, and in colleges in Scotland.[7]
Whilst at ECU Dandridge restructured their work to focus on the equality implications of key issues for the higher education sector, such as research assessment, admissions, work placements, governance and internationalisation.[citation needed]
Universities UK
On 1 September 2009 Dandridge became the Chief Executive of Universities UK replacing Diana Mary Warwick, Baroness Warwick of Undercliffe.[8]
Taskforce to examine violence against women, harassment and hate crime affecting university students
In November 2015 Dandridge was appointed chair of the Taskforce to examine violence against women, harassment and hate crime affecting university students,[9] with a focus on the issue of violence against women and sexual harassment.[10]
This was in response to Jo Johnson Business Secretary of Department for Business, Innovation and Skills call for universities to tackle violence against women on campus [11]
Gender segregation in universities
Dandridge's support for optional gender segregation in universities received much scrutiny in the British media in late 2013; the shadow business secretary, Chuka Umunna, said in a radio interview that he was "horrified" by Universities UK's position, and promised to make segregation illegal should the Labour Party come to power.[12]
Publications
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References
- ↑ Universities UK Chief Executive profile
- ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 61256. p. B9. 13 June 2015.
- ↑ 2015 Birthday Honours List
- ↑ Our senior team
- ↑ [1]
- ↑ [2] Equality Challenge Unit website
- ↑ Nicola Dandridge named as new Chief Executive of UUK
- ↑ Universities UK appoints new Chief Executive
- ↑ Taskforce to examine violence against women, harassment and hate crime affecting university students
- ↑ There is no place for violence and harassment on a university campus, nor anywhere else, says Nicola Dandridge, the Chief Executive of Universities UK and chair of the taskforce, iGov News, 1 December 2015
- ↑ Business Secretary calls on universities to tackle violence against women on campus, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, 6 September 2015
- ↑ Gender segregation not 'alien to our culture', says Universities UK chief, The Guardian, 12 December 2013 (accessed 9 February 2013)
