Patricia Broadfoot
Encyclopedia
Patricia M. Broadfoot, CBE
(born 13 July 1949 in Kingswood, Gloucestershire
) was Vice-Chancellor of the University of Gloucestershire
from 2006 to 2010, and Pro Vice-Chancellor of the University of Bristol
from 2002 to 2006.
and educational assessment.
This began with her studies at the University of Leeds
, from where she graduated
in 1971 with a Bachelor of Arts
in sociology. She spent the following year obtaining a Postgraduate Certificate in Education
at the University of London
, before beginning her career
in education
by teaching in Wolmer's Boys High School
in Jamaica
from 1971–1973. Broadfoot then returned to the United Kingdom
and began her research career with a four-year period as a researcher for the Scottish Council for Research in Education
. At the same time, she pursued a Master of Education
at the University of Edinburgh
, graduating in 1977. Broadfoot's first academic post was as a lecturer
(and later a senior lecturer) at Westhill College, Birmingham
, where she worked from 1977 until 1981.
In 1981, Broadfoot moved to Bristol
to take up a lectureship in education. At this point, she did not yet have a PhD
, eventually obtaining one from the Open University
in 1984. Ten years after joining the University, Broadfoot was appointed to the Professor
ship of Education in 1991, marking the beginning a series of promotions in university management In 1993, she became Head of the Graduate School
of Education and Dean
of the Faculty of Social Sciences. These appointments ended in 1997 and 1998 respectively, before, in 2002, she became a Pro-Vice-Chancellor
, with particular responsibilities in the teaching and learning
aspects of the university. In the period before becoming a Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Broadfoot earned a (substantive) DSc
from the University. During her time in Bristol, she also held visiting positions at Macquarie University
, the University of Western Sydney
and Queen's University, Belfast. She was also a member of the UK's Economic and Social Research Council
and chaired its Research Resources Board.
In December 2005, Broadfoot was appointed Vice-Chancellor of the University of Gloucestershire
, a post she took up on 1 September 2006.
Broadfoot was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts
in 1992 and in 1999 she became one of the founding academicians of the UK Academy of Learned Societies for the Social Sciences
. In the New Year
honours
list in 2006, she was appointed a Commander of the British Empire
(CBE), "for services to social science".
This ultimately lead to questions to be asked regarding the morality of the situation considering the University was struggling financially elsewhere.
During her tenure as vice chancellor of the University of Gloucestershire the London based campus underwent a £8.3 million pound overhaul, only for its closure to be announced just seven months later. http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=26&storycode=408423&c=1
It also rumoured Broadfoot received a considerably higher salary than her predecessor http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_8031/is_20090404/ai_n43822836/. Further research would indicate her salary was £202000 per annum. http://www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk/gloucestershireheadlines/University-Gloucestershire-chief-retire/article-1944912-detail/article.html
In the early part of 2010, Broadfoot announced her resignation from the office of Vice Chancellor at the University of Gloucestershire, to begin her retirement. http://www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk/gloucestershireheadlines/University-Gloucestershire-chief-retire/article-1944912-detail/article.html
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born 13 July 1949 in Kingswood, Gloucestershire
Kingswood, Gloucestershire
Kingswood is a village and civil parish within the Stroud district of Gloucestershire, England. It is southwest of Wotton-under-Edge and has a population of 1,290....
) was Vice-Chancellor of the University of Gloucestershire
University of Gloucestershire
The University of Gloucestershire is a university primarily based in Gloucestershire, England, spread over four campuses, three in Cheltenham and one in Gloucester...
from 2006 to 2010, and Pro Vice-Chancellor of the University of Bristol
University of Bristol
The University of Bristol is a public research university located in Bristol, United Kingdom. One of the so-called "red brick" universities, it received its Royal Charter in 1909, although its predecessor institution, University College, Bristol, had been in existence since 1876.The University is...
from 2002 to 2006.
Interests
Broadfoot's main academic interests are in sociologySociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
and educational assessment.
This began with her studies at the University of Leeds
University of Leeds
The University of Leeds is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...
, from where she graduated
Graduation
Graduation is the action of receiving or conferring an academic degree or the ceremony that is sometimes associated, where students become Graduates. Before the graduation, candidates are referred to as Graduands. The date of graduation is often called degree day. The graduation itself is also...
in 1971 with a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in sociology. She spent the following year obtaining a Postgraduate Certificate in Education
Postgraduate Certificate in Education
The Postgraduate Certificate in Education is a one-year course in England, Wales and Northern Ireland for undergraduate degree holders that allows them to train to be a teacher....
at the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
, before beginning her career
Career
Career is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as a person's "course or progress through life ". It is usually considered to pertain to remunerative work ....
in education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
by teaching in Wolmer's Boys High School
Wolmer's Schools
Wolmer's Schools, located in Kingston, Jamaica consists of Wolmer's Pre-School, Wolmer's Prep School and two high schools Wolmer's Girls' School and Wolmer's Boys' School. The original school is the second oldest English speaking school in the Caribbean...
in Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
from 1971–1973. Broadfoot then returned to the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and began her research career with a four-year period as a researcher for the Scottish Council for Research in Education
Scottish Council for Research in Education
The Scottish Council for Research in Education was set up by the Scottish teachers’ union and the Association of Directors of Education in 1928. At that time, there were no similar organisations anywhere in the world...
. At the same time, she pursued a Master of Education
Master of Education
The Master of Education is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in a large number of countries. This degree in education often includes the following majors: curriculum and instruction, counseling, and administration. It is often conferred for educators advancing in...
at the University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
, graduating in 1977. Broadfoot's first academic post was as a lecturer
Lecturer
Lecturer is an academic rank. In the United Kingdom, lecturer is a position at a university or similar institution, often held by academics in their early career stages, who lead research groups and supervise research students, as well as teach...
(and later a senior lecturer) at Westhill College, Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, where she worked from 1977 until 1981.
In 1981, Broadfoot moved to Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
to take up a lectureship in education. At this point, she did not yet have a PhD
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
, eventually obtaining one from the Open University
Open University
The Open University is a distance learning and research university founded by Royal Charter in the United Kingdom...
in 1984. Ten years after joining the University, Broadfoot was appointed to the Professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
ship of Education in 1991, marking the beginning a series of promotions in university management In 1993, she became Head of the Graduate School
School (discipline)
A school of thought is a collection or group of people who share common characteristics of opinion or outlook of a philosophy, discipline, belief, social movement, cultural movement, or art movement....
of Education and Dean
Dean (education)
In academic administration, a dean is a person with significant authority over a specific academic unit, or over a specific area of concern, or both...
of the Faculty of Social Sciences. These appointments ended in 1997 and 1998 respectively, before, in 2002, she became a Pro-Vice-Chancellor
Pro-Vice-Chancellor
In a university, an assistant to a vice-chancellor is called a pro-vice-chancellor . These are sometimes teaching academics who take on additional responsibilities. Some of these responsibilities are in charge of Administration, Research and Development, Academic and Education affairs...
, with particular responsibilities in the teaching and learning
Learning
Learning is acquiring new or modifying existing knowledge, behaviors, skills, values, or preferences and may involve synthesizing different types of information. The ability to learn is possessed by humans, animals and some machines. Progress over time tends to follow learning curves.Human learning...
aspects of the university. In the period before becoming a Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Broadfoot earned a (substantive) DSc
Doctor of Science
Doctor of Science , usually abbreviated Sc.D., D.Sc., S.D. or Dr.Sc., is an academic research degree awarded in a number of countries throughout the world. In some countries Doctor of Science is the name used for the standard doctorate in the sciences, elsewhere the Sc.D...
from the University. During her time in Bristol, she also held visiting positions at Macquarie University
Macquarie University
Macquarie University is an Australian public teaching and research university located in Sydney, with its main campus situated in Macquarie Park. Founded in 1964 by the New South Wales Government, it was the third university to be established in the metropolitan area of Sydney...
, the University of Western Sydney
University of Western Sydney
The University of Western Sydney, also known as UWS, is a multi-campus university in the Greater Western region of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
and Queen's University, Belfast. She was also a member of the UK's Economic and Social Research Council
Economic and Social Research Council
The Economic and Social Research Council is one of the seven Research Councils in the United Kingdom. It receives most of its funding from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, and provides funding and support for research and training work in social and economic issues, such as...
and chaired its Research Resources Board.
In December 2005, Broadfoot was appointed Vice-Chancellor of the University of Gloucestershire
University of Gloucestershire
The University of Gloucestershire is a university primarily based in Gloucestershire, England, spread over four campuses, three in Cheltenham and one in Gloucester...
, a post she took up on 1 September 2006.
Broadfoot was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts
Royal Society of Arts
The Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufacturers and Commerce is a British multi-disciplinary institution, based in London. The name Royal Society of Arts is frequently used for brevity...
in 1992 and in 1999 she became one of the founding academicians of the UK Academy of Learned Societies for the Social Sciences
Academy of Learned Societies for the Social Sciences
The Academy of Social Sciences is a research body in the UK. , the Academy was composed of over 450 Academicians and 32 Learned Societies. Academicians are distinguished scholars and practitioners from academia and the public and private sectors...
. In the New Year
New Year Honours 2006
The New Year Honours 2006 for the Commonwealth realms were announced on 31 December 2005, to celebrate the year passed and mark the beginning of 2006....
honours
British honours system
The British honours system is a means of rewarding individuals' personal bravery, achievement, or service to the United Kingdom and the British Overseas Territories...
list in 2006, she was appointed a Commander of the British Empire
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(CBE), "for services to social science".
Controversy
In the 2008/2009 academic term the office of vice chancellor of the University of Gloucestershire advertised for the job of a personal chauffeur for Mrs Broadfoot, as reported in the University's 'Space' newspaper. Calls for her to get rid of this service were made in light of cut backs in funding elsewhere within the University. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_8031/is_20090404/ai_n43822836/This ultimately lead to questions to be asked regarding the morality of the situation considering the University was struggling financially elsewhere.
During her tenure as vice chancellor of the University of Gloucestershire the London based campus underwent a £8.3 million pound overhaul, only for its closure to be announced just seven months later. http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=26&storycode=408423&c=1
It also rumoured Broadfoot received a considerably higher salary than her predecessor http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_8031/is_20090404/ai_n43822836/. Further research would indicate her salary was £202000 per annum. http://www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk/gloucestershireheadlines/University-Gloucestershire-chief-retire/article-1944912-detail/article.html
In the early part of 2010, Broadfoot announced her resignation from the office of Vice Chancellor at the University of Gloucestershire, to begin her retirement. http://www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk/gloucestershireheadlines/University-Gloucestershire-chief-retire/article-1944912-detail/article.html