Since winning the NTFS award in 2021, Harriet has progressed to the position of PVC (Academic) at the University of Buckingham.
Dr Harriet Dunbar-Morris was Dean of Learning and Teaching and Reader in Higher Education at the University of Portsmouth. She facilitates partnership working with staff and students and champions the student voice. Harriet founded the Spinnaker Group, bringing together colleagues who lead on ‘Student Experience’ and ‘Teaching and Learning’ to share good practice and collaborate.
As the Dean of Learning and Teaching at the University of Portsmouth, Dr Harriet Dunbar-Morris was responsible for ensuring the voices of the university’s students are heard and student engagement always sits at the heart of the university’s undertakings. Her operational and strategic leadership skills shape how the university enhances and evaluates the student experience.
Harriet drives a data-driven and active change partnership approach to the enhancement of the student experience, working from an authentic leader position with all the key stakeholders, students, academic staff and professional services staff; to ‘make a difference to students’ experience of higher education'. In her previous role, Harriet has taken the opportunity to contribute to Portsmouth’s Academic Professional Apprenticeship and pre-sessional programme for international students. She also supervises students on the university’s Professional Doctorate in Education (EdD).
As a Principal Fellow (PFHEA) and Reader in Higher Education, Harriet’s research experience is in Student Experience, Learning and Teaching and Widening Participation. Since 2004 she has been engaged in research in the field of Higher Education and projects in those areas. Harriet also founded the Spinnaker Group which brings together colleagues who lead on ‘Student Experience’ and ‘Teaching and Learning’ in institutions across the Higher Education sector for sharing of good practice and collaboration. She also co-chairs the Aspiring Principal Fellows network on the Advance HE Connect platform for those considering principal fellowship. In her career, Harriet has worked in a variety of roles for a number of leading institutions including the universities of Oxford and Bath. Prior to Portsmouth she was part of the senior team at the University of Bradford.