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The UK's only independent think tank devoted to higher education.

Alison Allden OBE

Alison Allden was Chief Executive Officer of the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) from 2009 – 2015. Since then she has developed a non-executive portfolio and undertakes consultancy in the higher education sector. She is a trustee on the Board of Northumbria University and Deputy Chair of Regent’s University London. She also is a member of the Bar Standards Board responsible for the regulation of barristers. She is an Associate of Wells Advisory UK.

Alison provides sector wide governor development and bespoke board level induction, particularly focusing on strategy development, academic assurance and the appreciation of metrics, performance and digital innovation.

Prior to HESA, she was a member of the senior executive at the University of Bristol with a wide brief across student and support services. Previously she was Director of IT at the University of Warwick and Director of Computing at Goldsmiths University of London.

In 2016 New Year’s Honours she was awarded an OBE for services to higher education.