International Strategy for Higher Education Institutions
I established Vicky Lewis Consulting in June 2013 to provide an expert consultancy service to education institutions with international ambitions. Since then, I have completed over 60 projects with more than 35 client institutions based in the UK and overseas.
My strengths as a consultant result from my particular combination of:
I have direct experience of engaging with students, partner organisations and other stakeholders in Asia, North America, Africa and Europe.
After graduating from the University of Oxford with a degree in Modern Languages (and following a foray into freelance travel writing), I worked for nearly 20 years within UK universities, starting off in Wales, then moving to Scotland before settling in southern England in 2000.
Internationalisation has been a constant thread in all my roles which have ranged from establishing an International Office from scratch to leading an 80-person Marketing & Communications Directorate. I have 13 years’ experience operating at University Leadership Team level, leading organisation-wide initiatives, including development of institutional marketing and internationalisation strategies.
I have had management responsibility for international student recruitment, partnerships and exchanges; international admissions and student support; English language and pathway provision; market research, strategic and relationship marketing; branding, marketing communications and publications; corporate communications, PR and media relations; digital communications; internal communications; UK student recruitment and outreach; alumni relations and development.
Professional highlights prior to becoming a consultant include:
Alongside my work, I completed a Doctorate of Business Administration (Higher Education Management) at University of Bath in 2007. My doctoral thesis examined the motivations, strategies and approaches to internationalisation embraced by UK universities. I have continued to undertake research in the areas of transnational education and institutional strategies for global engagement.
I am a graduate of the Senior Strategic Leadership Programme (delivered by the Leadership Foundation for Higher Education, now AdvanceHE), an active member of the European Association for International Education (EAIE), and a Consulting Fellow with Halpin, a leading UK-based higher education management consultancy.