QAA Chair Lucy Leake
Welcome to the Programme Leaders Network
This is a dedicated networking community of practice for those leading or overseeing undergraduate, postgraduate, or foundation programmes across UK higher education.
Open to programme leaders, course directors, associate deans, and others in similar academic and quality roles, this networking community provides a collaborative space to share innovation and effective practice in programme design, delivery, and evaluation.
Meeting at least 3 times a year, the community offers online events and discussion forums where we share practice, explore innovative approaches, exchange insights, and stay informed of policy. We look forward to seeing you at future events.
Meeting Dates
| Wednesday 5 November 2025 | 11.00am - 12.00pm | Maintaining Quality in Challenging Times 'Theory of Change in Practice'
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| Thursday 26 February 2026 | 11.00am - 12.00pm | Innovation in Delivery 'Using Data to Inform and Evaluate'
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| Summer date tbc | 11.00am - 12.00pm | High Quality Teaching and Learning 'Programmatic Approaches to Delivery'
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Networking community chairs
QAA Chair Lucy Leake
QAA Chair Lucy Leake
Sector Chair Sam Grierson
Sector Chair Sam Grierson
Sector Chair Dr Emma McDonald
Sector Chair Dr Emma McDonald
Dr Emma McDonald is a Chartered Psychologist with a passion for Psychology and Education. She is currently a Senior Lecturer at Cardiff Metropolitan University in the Cardiff School of Education and Social Policy. Emma is the Programme Director for the MSc Psychology in Education.
As a Senior Lecturer at Birmingham City University, she served as the Programme Director for the BSc Psychology programme. She has held Psychology teaching posts at Oxford Brookes University, the Open University, the University of Plymouth and Cardiff University. Dr McDonald has worked for a range of institutions as external examiner on both Undergraduate and Postgraduate programmes. She has also worked with organisations such as the British Psychological Society, currently serving on the Undergraduate Education Committee.
Resources from this series, such as speaker presentations and summaries of key discussion points, are below. These are organised by the topics covered in each event.
Leadership in an academic environment
Presentation: Leadership in Higher Education
Publication date: 11 Dec 2023
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All staff and students from QAA Member institutions can register to use this site. You can check if your institution is a member on the QAA website
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The different dimensions of programme leadership
Presentation: Programme Leader Conference
Publication date: 19 Jun 2023
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All staff and students from QAA Member institutions can register to use this site. You can check if your institution is a member on the QAA website
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Presentation: You are not alone identifying, exploring and creating support networks for programme leaders
Publication date: 19 Jun 2023
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All staff and students from QAA Member institutions can register to use this site. You can check if your institution is a member on the QAA website
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Presentation: QAA Network Symposium
Publication date: 19 Jun 2023
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Presentation: A manifesto for sustainable programme leadership passion, pain and professionalism
Publication date: 19 Jun 2023
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All staff and students from QAA Member institutions can register to use this site. You can check if your institution is a member on the QAA website
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Programme-level assessment strategy and planning
Presentation: Developing assessment strategies that promote authentic, integrated programme-based approaches
Publication date: 31 May 2023
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All staff and students from QAA Member institutions can register to use this site. You can check if your institution is a member on the QAA website
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Q&A resource: Responses to delegate questions
Publication date: 31 May 2023
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Power dynamics in programme leadership
Presentation: Power dynamics in programme leadership
Publication date: 08 Mar 2023
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All staff and students from QAA Member institutions can register to use this site. You can check if your institution is a member on the QAA website
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Need support?
Send us an email at membership@qaa.ac.uk.