Becky Smith is a Key Global Associate at Advance HE. She brings over 25 years of experience of the adult and HE sectors globally and has held senior roles developing effective partnerships in UK and international institutions, the private sector and sector bodies.
She is Opera North’s Head of Academic Partnerships. Her work involves building links and creating opportunities for engagement between Opera North and the wider cultural industries, and all those working, studying and engaging with higher education.
Prior to joining Opera North in 2021, Becky led on international business development activity for Advance HE, working with institutions, sector bodies and governments to support HE development.
Previously, she spent twenty years in academic and professional service roles within universities on three continents including the University of Leeds, University of York, University of Groningen and Shanghai University. She also spent seven years at the University of Toronto where her work in a senior management role focused on business development, partner relations management, international student recruitment and student services.
Becky is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA). She was formerly a Member of the International Advisory Committee at China’s prestigious Peking University and was also Lead Technical Advisor on HE Leadership and Teaching Quality for the UK Government’s ‘Skills for Prosperity’ Programme. She has an MA in Language Teaching, has published research in relation to the use of MOOCs in continuing education and won an award for her work developing an outreach programme to encourage minority students to enter medical degree programmes.