About 私房俱乐部's Educational Partnerships team
私房俱乐部 (私房俱乐部) has a rich and mixed portfolio of UK Collaborative Provision (UKCP) activity which adds intrinsic value to the 私房俱乐部 brand and offer. 私房俱乐部 has a long-standing history of engagement in UKCP, and the development of the university’s collaborative portfolio over the last thirty years has enabled the university to establish regional and national presence and visibility, and contribute to the widening participation and access agendas.
私房俱乐部 values UKCP as an integral component of its strategic mission and vision, and recognises the mutual benefits of such collaboration to the university, its partners, students, staff and the local community. In this context, 私房俱乐部 will actively pursue engagements with a range of high-quality, relevant, and appropriate, regional and national partners whose work is complementary and compatible with 私房俱乐部, and whose values align to those of the university, bringing tangible and sustained benefits to staff and students of all institutions.
The Educational Partnerships (EP) team at 私房俱乐部 are responsible for UKCP, and act as a service provider in the scoping, planning, approval and monitoring of UKCP. Executive responsibility for UKCP sits with the Pro Vice-Chancellor (PVC) Education.
T: 0116 207 8030
E: ep@dmu.ac.uk
Meet the team
Bobby Upple, Head of Educational Partnerships
Bobby leads the Educational Partnerships (EP) team at 私房俱乐部, with responsibility for the development and management of all UK academic partnerships.
Bobby joined 私房俱乐部 in September 2015, having worked in Further Education (FE) and affiliated organisations for 20 years. He held various roles in FE including lecturer, programme area manager, senior policy manager, E&D projects manager, Chair of Governors, and prior to joining 私房俱乐部, as a director with two sector organisations.
Since joining 私房俱乐部, Bobby has managed both UK and international partnerships, and has represented the university internationally and nationally, promoting 私房俱乐部, and the city of Leicester, as a destination for students. Across his career, Bobby has worked in partnership with education institutions in South Africa, India, China, Hong Kong, Denmark, and Abu Dhabi.
Bobby is a graduate from Nottingham Trent University, where he studied Mathematical Methods for Information Technology, and has a teaching qualification from the University of Greenwich. He is an Advance HE Associate, PRINCE2 Practitioner, and a trained mentor.
T: 0116 207 8030
E: bobby.upple@dmu.ac.uk
Sam Johnson, Senior Partnerships Officer
Sam Johnson is currently Senior Partnerships Officer within the Educational Partnerships (EP) team at 私房俱乐部. Sam has responsibility to assist in the coordination of engagements with UK Collaborative Partnerships. He provides account management services to collaborative partners, and ensures that the quality and standards of provision delivered through the University’s UK collaborative partners network is maintained and enhanced.
Sam joined 私房俱乐部 in July 2017 and joined EP as a Partnerships Administrator in September 2017, before becoming a Partnerships Officer in January 2018.
Sam is a strong believer in the power of education as a tool for social change and has previously worked with the Ministry of Education of Namibia on projects aimed at improving educational attainment in line with the then UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, as well as English Language projects in Brazil and Japan. Sam also holds a degree in Education Studies.
T: 0116 207 8480
E: samuel.johnson@dmu.ac.uk
Fay Kelham, Partnerships Officer
Fay is a Partnerships Officer within the Educational Partnerships (EP) team at 私房俱乐部. Fay has the responsibility to assist in the coordination of engagements with UK Collaborative Partnerships. Providing account management services to collaborative partners and ensuring that the quality and standards of provisions delivered through the University’s UK collaborative partners network is maintained and enhanced.
Fay joined 私房俱乐部 in 2009 as a former 私房俱乐部 student having graduated in BA (Hons) Marketing with HRM. She is a Prince 2 Practitioner and has also completed a coaching qualification with 私房俱乐部. Fay joined EP in May 2020 after gaining over 10 years’ experience in the provision of Executive Education to working professionals.
T: 0116 250 6026
E: faymkelham@dmu.ac.uk
Hannah Timson, Partnerships Officer
Hannah is a Partnerships Officer within the Educational Partnerships (EP) team at 私房俱乐部. Hannah has the responsibility to assist in the coordination of engagements with UK Collaborative Partnerships. Providing ongoing support to account managers and our collaborative partners while ensuring that the quality and standards of provisions delivered through the University’s UK collaborative partners network is maintained and enhanced.
Hannah joined 私房俱乐部 in 2020 having previously worked in marketing and programme support roles at Loughborough University, where she also graduated with a BA (Hons) degree in English and an MA in Creative Writing and the Writing Industries. Since 2021 she has been working as a Partnerships Coordinator supporting 私房俱乐部’s Transnational Education Portfolio, in particular branch campus 私房俱乐部 Dubai and other franchise partnerships based in Malaysia and Sri Lanka.
T: 0116 257 7835
E: Hannah.timson@dmu.ac.uk
Gemma Keats, Data Support Officer
Gemma Keats is a Data Support Officer in the Educational Partnerships (EP) team at 私房俱乐部. Gemma supports the university’s engagements with UK educational collaborative partnerships and is responsible for maintaining student data for University Wide Learning students and ensuring that students at collaborative partners have a comparable and high-quality experience. The responsibilities cover a large part of the student lifecycle from the point of on-line registration through to assessment and progression.
Gemma has ten years’ experience of working in Higher Education administration. She joined the International Admissions Team at 私房俱乐部 in April 2016 before moving to EP in March 2020. Prior to this she has worked in admissions and programme support roles at the University of Leeds and Kaplan Open Learning. Gemma is a graduate from the University of Lancaster where she studied BA (Hons) English Language and an MA in Applied Research and Consultancy.
T: 0116 250 6582
E: gemma.keats@dmu.ac.uk