Graham is responsible for shaping and implementing Northumbria University's education vision and strategy. He provides strategic leadership across all educational activities, overseeing the design, implementation, and monitoring of quality frameworks to ensure consistently high academic standards.
He leads initiatives related to the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF), Access and Participation Plan (APP), National Student Survey (NSS), and Graduate Outcomes. Graham manages the Academic Registrar and Executive Director of Student, Library and Academic Services.
Graham maintains strong relationships with key education stakeholders regionally, nationally, and internationally to maximise opportunities and influence decision makers in the external education environment, for the benefit of the University.
Graham's strategic leadership has shaped Northumbria's focus on experiential learning and driving social mobility through education. His leadership has led to improved student success and NSS outcomes, earning Northumbria TEF Gold for Student Outcomes and TEF Silver Overall.
Graham has led on the development of the University’s Education Strategic Delivery Plan, focusing on experiential learning and driving social mobility through education, this strategy includes embedding experiential learning opportunities, developing a Quality Enhancement and Development Framework for taught awards, and ensuring tailored support services for all students. The Education Strategy directly supports the Northumbria’s Strategy 2030 ambition of Powering an Inclusive Economy by embedding experiential learning in all undergraduate programs, enhancing students' employability and social capital. Additionally, his work on Driving Social Mobility involves providing tailored support services and eliminating disparities in student outcomes, ensuring equitable access and success for students from diverse backgrounds.
Graham sits on Northumbria’s Board of Governors, University Executive, Academic Board. He is the Chair of Education Committee and the Chair of Quality and Standards Committee.
He is a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society (FRAS) a member of the Institute of Physics (MInstP) and a Senior Fellow for Higher Education Academy (SFHEA).
Prior to joining Northumbria, Graham was the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education) at the University of Leicester from September. During his tenure, he led the development of the Education Principles and Strategy during the Covid-19 pandemic, ensuring robust quality standards and innovative pedagogy. Prior to this, he also directed Leicester’s institution-wide Education Excellence Programme, focusing on enhancing education through targeted improvements in areas such as Assessment & Feedback, Inclusivity, and Student Voice. Additionally, Graham led the Curriculum Transformation Programme, which involved a comprehensive review of all taught programmes.
Graham's research focuses on the study of astrophysical accretion. Accretion flows are prevalent throughout the Universe and play a pivotal role in star and planet formation as well as powering some of the most energetic astrophysical phenomena. He has published over 80 papers in peer-reviewed international journals, with around 3000 citations (> 760 normalized citations). His active research areas include accretion disc physics, binary stars, gamma-ray bursts, exoplanets, and cool dwarfs. Graham has received significant research council funding during his career and has supervised 11 postgraduate students to successful PhD completion as primary supervisor.
The Baroness Grey-Thompson DBE
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