UK Council For Graduate Education Appoints Dr Owen Gower As Director

The leading independent postgraduate education representative body, the UK Council for Graduate Education (UKCGE), is delighted to announce the appointment of Dr Owen Gower as its Director. 

UK Council For Graduate Education Appoints Dr Owen Gower As Director 

The leading independent postgraduate education representative body, the UK Council for Graduate Education (UKCGE), is delighted to announce the appointment of Dr Owen Gower as its Director.

Owen Gower joins the UKCGE with a background in connecting academic research with public policy. His previous job was as Academic Programmes Director at Cumberland Lodge, a long established educational charity with a strong reputation in the HE sector, where he ran a programme of research and events, aimed at building interdisciplinary collaborations on a range of social policy issues. A keen advocate of partnerships between academia and the voluntary sector, he has managed a series of fixed-term post-doctoral positions, run a series of annual summer schools on Life Beyond the PhD’, developed a PhD scholarship scheme, and served as the industrial supervisor’ for a funded PhD student.

Owen has a PhD in Philosophy and has held part-time teaching positions at Birkbeck, King’s College London, and Royal Holloway. Owen is a Fellow of Goodenough College and the Royal Society of Arts, and a member of the Philosophy of Education Society of Great Britain.

Professor Rosemary Deem, Chair of UKCGE, said: Owen’s track record, his experience of working with both the higher education sector and within the charitable sector, and his enthusiasm for excellence in postgraduate education are exceptional and we are delighted that he is joining the Council. His knowledge and experience will be vital as we continue our ambitious plans to develop both our influence on national and transnational HE and postgraduate policy, and the ways in which we support those working with postgraduate students.”

Owen Gower added: Throughout my career, I’ve found that people who pursue postgraduate study are passionate, curious and dedicated. I believe that their talent needs to be nurtured by a supportive sector, by fair access to funding, and by consistent standards of excellence in teaching and supervision. I am proud of the UK’s postgraduate sector, and I am delighted to lead the UKCGE’s work to support and champion postgraduate education.”

Dr Gower will take up his position on the 1st March 2018.