Derfel Owen - Multimedia and Student Engagement Officer at Quality Assurance Agency

Derfel joined the QAA almost  four  years ago with a remit to enhance the agency's engagement with students. Derfel works to improve student knowledge, awareness and contributions to all QAA audit and review methods including plans to have students as members of audit teams. He also engages with NUS and students' unions to improve the knowledge and awareness of student representatives about how academic standards are managed, and to share practice between unions and Universities about effective student engagement practices.  Before joining the QAA, Derfel was a student at the University of Hull, where he was Students' Union President. He had been a member of the NUS National Executive Committee and the Board of NUS Services before working at Goldsmiths, University of London, as Student Development and Support Manager.

William Locke - Head of Learning and Teaching at HEFCE

William Locke is Head of Learning and Teaching at the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE). Prior to this, he was Assistant Director and Principal Policy Analyst at the Centre for Higher Education Research and Information (CHERI) at the Open University.  He was part of the research team that produced the Report to HEFCE on Student Engagement in 2009 and co-wrote Excellence in Teaching and Learning: a review of the literature for the Higher Education Academy in 2007.  Before working at CHERI, William was Deputy Director, Policy Development at Universities UK (UUK) where he led on longer-term strategy, and policy on learning, teaching and assessment, recording student achievement, student services, widening participation, and employability and careers education.  He moved to UUK from the University of Sussex, where he was Head of Teaching and Learning Development.