Strategic Leads

As ALDinHE continues to grow in influence and impact across the UK and Ireland, the implementation of our five-year strategy requires coordinated leadership and accountability. To ensure that each strategic objective is effectively delivered, Strategic Leads are dedicated individuals who will take ownership of specific areas within the strategy. These leads will act as champions, facilitators, and connectors, helping to translate our strategic goals into tangible outcomes. Strategic Leads provide:

Greater visibility of strategic activities and outcomes.
Focused leadership for each objective.
Clear accountability and progress tracking.
Enhanced collaboration across working groups and communities of practice.

About the three Strategic Leads

Strategic Lead for Professional Development

Lead the development of CPD programmes, mentoring pathways, and tailored learning event

Objective 1: Professional Development
This lead will oversee initiatives such as the CPD programme. They will work closely with the Chair of the CPD Working Group to ensure alignment and innovation in our professional development offerings.
– Coordinate the year-round programme of events.
– Develop and promote short courses and tailored guidance.
– Support the expansion of writing retreats etc.
– Facilitate mentoring and recognition pathways.

Strategic Lead for Partnerships and Collaboration

Strengthen communities of practice, student-staff partnerships, and international networks.

Objective 2: Collaborative Development and Partnerships
This lead will focus on strengthening our communities of practice, enhancing student-staff partnerships, and expanding international collaboration through ICALLD and other networks.
– Support working groups and communities of practice.
– Foster international and cross-institutional partnerships.
– Promote student voice and engagement through events and publications.
– Encourage resource development and sharing via LearnHigher.

Strategic Lead for Research and Scholarship

Champion research initiatives, support publication and dissemination, and promote evidence-informed practice.

Objective 3: Research and Scholarship
This lead will champion research activities, manage funding opportunities, and ensure that scholarship informs and enhances learning development practice and work alongside the Chair of the Research and Scholarship Development Working Group and others.
– Oversee research funding and dissemination.
– Promote publication in JLDHE, LoveLD, and the blog.
– Encourage holistic, association-wide scholarship.
– Facilitate knowledge exchange and adoption of best practices.

Tim Hinchcliffe – ALDinHE Strategic Lead for Professional Development

Tim is a Principal Lecturer at BPP University, leading institution‑wide learning and teaching enhancement projects.

Prior to joining BPP, Tim worked at Advance HE, delivering global consultancy across Asia and Europe, where he led international projects on student partnership, inclusive assessment, curriculum design, and gamification. He has led functions at a number of UK universities spanning educational enhancement, learning development, educational technology, strategic projects, policy development and academic integrity.

Tim is Strategic Lead for Professional Development at the Association for Learning Development in Higher Education (ALDinHE), and an Independent Governor at Coventry College.

Dr Rebecca Wilson, University of St Andrews holding The ALDinHE Award trophy 2025.

Rebecca Wilson – ALDinHE Strategic Lead for Collaborative Development and Partnerships

Rebecca is an award-winning, future-focused skills and learning expert. She is the Founder and Director of the Future Skills and Learning Initiative, focused on supporting educators and learners in a changing world, and a Specialist Mentor supporting neurodiverse students across the UK. She is the former Head of Student Development at the University of St Andrews. She is also the ALDinHE Strategic Lead for Collaborative Development and Partnerships.

Rebecca achieved a PhD in International Relations and holds an ILM Level 3 Certificate in Effective Coaching. She has expertise in university transitions, neurodiversity, and skills for the future/Industry 4.0. Rebecca is a strong advocate for equality and inclusivity in education. She is a contributing author to the 2024 publication Supporting the Student Journey into Higher Education and a co-author of the 2025 publication University and You.

Adrian J. Wallbank – ALDinHE Strategic Lead for Research and Scholarship

I am an Associate Professor in Academic Development (Assessment) at Oxford Brookes University, working within the Oxford Centre for Academic Enhancement and Development (OCAED). Prior to my arrival at Brookes, I was Programme Director for the Integrated Foundation Year and Programme Leader for the Academic Writing and Communication provision at Royal Holloway, University of London (2015-2020). My role involves strategic leadership of institution-wide curricula and assessment initiatives that are inclusive, sustainable and responsive to this complexity, alongside supporting and teaching colleagues on our accredited EXPLORE programme (aligned to D1-4 of the PSF) – including leadership of the assessment, inclusion and sustainability elements, and providing strategic oversight and direction to our General Teaching Associates (GTA) provision. I am the Teaching and Learning Community Lead (providing strategic leadership to initiatives such as the OCAED Stakeholder Forum and Associate Professors of Teaching and Learning Forums), Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Lead for the Assessment and Inclusion components of the Brookes Inclusive Curriculum Enhancement Model (IDEAS), Teaching Excellence Award Lead (TEAL), and co-Chair of the annual Brookes International Teaching and Learning Conference.

My professional practice is shaped by over fifteen years in academic literacies, Foundation Year leadership and educational development, and is grounded in a long-standing commitment to inclusive assessment and neurodivergent learning. As a dyslexic academic, I bring lived experience to my scholarship and teaching, and this informs my longstanding inquiry into cognitive load, multimodal learning and the conditions that enable students with diverse cognitive profiles to flourish. This work culminated in the development of compositional pictography, a sector-recognised visual pedagogy that externalises the cognitive architecture of academic writing and supports neurodivergent learners’ sense of clarity, agency and intellectual identity.

I am passionate about the possibilities afforded by the so-called ‘Cinderella’ status of educators in professional services roles to facilitate and unlock student success, often in the face of suspicion or indeed hostility from faculty (Ashmore, 2021; Irvine et al, 2002), or changing roles / short-term initiatives. As such, I am passionate about advocating for the importance of these roles and the often life-changing work of academic literacies / educational development.