Education
Enhancement

Curriculum Vitae

www.linkedin.com/in/profkhl | Tel: +44 (0) 7927111580 | Email: kheardlaureote@gmail.com

Professor Karen Heard-Lauréote              

CEP, BA (Hons), PGCLTHE, PGDip Research Methods, PhD, FLF, FAHEP, PFHEA, NTF, SFSEDA, FiL

Transforming higher education through strategic leadership, quality enhancement and student-centric innovation

PROFILE: Strategic higher education consultant with 20+ years of experience transforming universities through data-driven, student-centric models, quality enhancement, and regulatory compliance. Expert in leading TEF submissions, access and participation planning, closing attainment gaps, and organisational change management. Proven track record of developing high-performing academic leadership teams, delivering measurable improvements in student outcomes across diverse HE contexts and securing prestigious institutional accreditations, including Triple Gold TEF status.

Key Skills & Competencies

• Strategic Educational Leadership: Expert in developing and implementing institutional strategies that generate measurable improvements in student outcomes and teaching quality.
• Regulatory Expertise: Comprehensive knowledge of OfS, QAA, and TEF frameworks with proven success guiding providers through complex regulatory requirements.
• Organisational Change Management: Skilled in leading transformation initiatives that align institutional capabilities with strategic objectives.
• Data-Driven Decision Making: Proficient in analysing educational metrics and implementing evidence-based interventions to close attainment gaps and enhance student experience.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Strong ability to build consensus among diverse stakeholders, including executive boards, academic staff, and student representatives.
• Digital Education Transformation: Experience implementing blended and online learning models that enhance accessibility and engagement.
• Educational Technology: Proficient with VLE platforms (Canvas, Blackboard), learning analytics tools, digital assessment systems, and project management software, including Padlet and Trello , Microsoft Project, and collaboration platforms.
• Quality Assurance & Enhancement: Extensive experience in quality frameworks, helping providers achieve and maintain accreditation standards.
• International Education Consulting: Delivered successful projects across the UK, Europe, Central Asia, and Russia, adapting approaches to diverse cultural contexts.
• Languages: Fluent in French (written & spoken).

Current Role: Founder, Director & Principal Consultant @ KHL Consulting Ltd (August 23-Present)

• Mentor Development (HE) (July 2026) – Designed and delivered a full-day, activity-based mentor development programme for experienced academic mentors, focused on coaching practice, developmental challenge, and evidencing within a peer observation scheme.
• OfS Registration Readiness Review – New Private Higher Education Provider (June 2026 – Present): Strategic readiness assessment against the OfS conditions of registration; review and gap analysis of the governance, quality and academic evidence base; and design of a phased route to registration, structured to support a longer-term multi-school platform ambition and future degree awarding powers.
• Governance Effectiveness and Board Structure Review – Private Higher Education Provider (June 2026 – Present): Leading a board-level governance review for a multi-campus provider, re-baselining the framework around a clear separation of ownership, governance and executive and strengthening independent oversight at a sensitive regulatory juncture. Deliverables include board composition and quorum recommendations, a revised committee architecture with risk and compliance oversight reset on a three lines of defence basis, refreshed terms of reference across the full committee set, a revised scheme of delegation and reserved matters, and a new governance calendar and board reporting cycle, sequenced as a single board-approved programme aligned to the provider’s OfS commitments.
• Independent Review of Formative Assessment Practice – Private Higher Education Provider (June 2026 – Present): Commissioned to design and lead an independent, externally led review of formative assessment practice across a multi-campus provider, establishing a rigorous evidence base in response to regulatory and partner interest. Triangulated methodology combining VLE submission data analysis, cross-campus staff engagement, and a student survey, delivering findings and actionable recommendations for institutional sign-off and use in regulatory dialogue.
• OfS Registration Advisory – New Private Higher Education Provider (June 2026 – Present): Strategic review of an initial OfS registration submission and the conditions-of-registration evidence base; options appraisal; and design of a phased resubmission roadmap aligned with a newly validated university franchise model.
• Student-Facing Policy Framework Review – Specialist Research Institution (April 2026 – June 2026): Comprehensive rewrite of 32 student-facing regulatory documents, including taught and research degree regulations, codes of practice, procedures and appendices, ensuring alignment with OfS Conditions and current UKVI requirements.
• External Fellowship Consultant (June 2026)- Designed and delivered a two-part Fellowship support programme for a cohort of 13 applicants (11 Fellow, 2 Senior Fellow) at an international HE institution. Delivered remotely; provided individual written feedback on draft applications assessed against PSF 2023 criteria.
• iQTS Feasibility Scoping Report – University School of Education (February-March 2026): Commissioned to deliver a feasibility scoping report for international Qualified Teacher Status (iQTS) provision, encompassing international market demand analysis, existing provider and delivery model review, regulatory and policy framework analysis against DfE requirements, set-up costs, and approval procedures.
• Quality, Governance and Regulatory Readiness Review – Private Higher Education Provider (January 2026 – March 2026): Leading a comprehensive organisational audit for a multi-campus provider operating through franchise partnerships, mapping governance, quality assurance and academic standards against OfS Conditions B and E. Deliverables include RAG-rated recommendations, governance implementation support, risk register review, mock quality and standards review, and DAPs readiness assessment.
• OfS Registration, CORC and NDAP Application Support – Private Higher Education Provider (September 2025 – Present): Leading a consultancy team supporting a multi-campus provider through simultaneous Change of Registration Category applications and a New Degree Awarding Powers application. Deliverables include a governance effectiveness review; narratives for the B7 Quality Plan and B8 Standards Plan; a comprehensive policy framework (assessment regulations, academic integrity, mitigating circumstances, appeals); an Education strategy and the Learning, Teaching and Assessment Strategy Handbook; the Enhancement Plan; programme specifications for initial NDAP courses and Students’ Union constitution and student voice framework.
• Access and Participation Plan (December 2025): Development of APP submission supporting OfS registration for a private FE-to-HE transitioning provider, including risk analysis, intervention strategy design and governance alignment for new Level 5 provision.
• Academic Model Review – (August – October 2025): delivered an Options Appraisal report to senior university leaders on current and future academic year models.
• Qualification Framework Review – (May 2025 – November 2025): led a project team to review the qualifications framework and implement strategic recommendations across a sector research support organisation.
• OfS Registration and DAPs Application Feasibility Review – New Provider (March 2025): Delivered feasibility report for a specialist early years centre exploring entry to the higher education sector, commissioned by a local authority.
• Teaching Excellence Framework Roadmap – Large Specialist Arts Institution, London (March-May 2025): Production of an institutional roadmap towards TEF submission preparation.
• Access & Participation Plan Scoping Exercise and Draft Plan Production (December 2024-February 2025): Drafting institutional APP submission for a private HE provider.
• Student Voice Partnership Implementation Review – Russell Group University (November 2024-February 2025): Comprehensive review of implementation enablers and blockers and executive-level action planning for future embedding.
• Student Experience Implementation Review – Large Specialist Arts Institution, London (November 2024-December 2024): Comprehensive review of student experience practice 2022-24 reporting to Interim VC.
• Employment Status Framework Development – Small Specialist Arts College (November 2024-December 2024): Led the development and implementation of an IR35-compliant framework for determining the employment status of associate lecturers, ensuring regulatory compliance while maintaining teaching excellence.
• Access & Participation Plan – Small Teaching-Focused University (April 2024 – October 2024): Led the production and submission of the APP from conception to final version editing.
• Quality Compass Authoring and Editing – QAA (April 2024 – July 2024): Authored and edited key content for Quality Compass, focusing on academic writing, advising, and communication.
• QAA Consultancy Project (May 2024 – July 2024): Delivered consultancy services specialising in academic leadership, report writing, and data analysis.
• Council, Executive, Senate Away Days (April 2024 – June 2024): Planned and facilitated strategic away days for university leadership teams, emphasising project management, event planning and organisational skills.
• Quality Enhancement & Engagement – QAA (October 2023 – February 2024): Provided consultancy on quality enhancement and engagement initiatives, focusing on HE policy, project management, and leadership.
• Institutional Teaching and Learning Review – Russell Group University (October 2023 – January 2024): Conducted a comprehensive teaching and learning review focusing on academic writing, problem analysis, and educational leadership.
• Independent Service Review – Small Teaching-Focused University (October 2023 – December 2023): Led an independent service review emphasising values-based leadership, diversity, equity, inclusion, and academic leadership.
• International Consultant on Institutional Accreditation – Uzbekistan (August 2023 – September 2023): Supported a national legal education reform programme and specialist law university in preparation for international accreditation, with a focus on capacity building, leadership development, and quality assurance.

Snapshot of other clients includes Kazan University, Russia (Staff Development); British Council Erasmus+ UK National Agency (Capacity Building); Southern England Local Partners (SELP) (Network Development); The European Coalition for Vision (Network Development); The University Association for Contemporary European Studies (UACES) (Governance); The British Association for Centres of European Studies; The Université Libre de Bruxelles (Curriculum Development); University of Maastricht (Curriculum Development); The Hague University of Applied Sciences (Curriculum Development).

Additional Roles and Sector Contributions

• Qualified Mentor & Coach – KHL Consulting Ltd – May 2025 – Present: Client mentoring for career development, PFHEA applications, promotions, career transitions to freelance or consultant work.

• Visiting Professor – University of Portsmouth – April 2024 – Present
  Engaging in academic activities as a Visiting Professor, contributing to the university’s educational initiatives through remote collaboration. Key responsibilities include mentoring students and providing strategic input on curriculum development.
• Lead Consultant – Association of Higher Education Professionals – Consulting – June 2024 – Present
  Providing expert consulting services to HE providers, focusing on project management, policy development, and leadership enhancement. Involved in various initiatives aimed at improving HE practices and policies.
• Lead Quality Assessor and Quality Assessor – Office for Students – October and August 2024 – Present
  Contracted to lead the assessment and assess the quality of HE programs as a team, ensuring compliance with regulatory standards. Role involves leading and/or conducting thorough evaluations and providing recommendations for continuous improvement.
• Higher Education Consultancy Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) – JISC (November 2025 – Present): Appointed to JISC’s DPS framework as an approved consultant for higher education services following a competitive tender process, eligible to bid for mini-competition projects across the UK HE sector.
• Online Tutor – PGCert Learning and Teaching in Higher Education – University of London – October 2025 – Present Delivering teaching and assessment for a global postgraduate through forum discussions, bi-weekly Zoom tutorials, online activities and formative/summative assessment feedback to diverse international HE practitioners.
• Professional Conversation Mentor – University of Portsmouth (May 2025 – Present): Mentoring staff through structured professional conversations, resulting in successful Advance HE fellowship applications (D1-3).
• Hourly Paid Sessional Teaching Fellow – University of Portsmouth, London (July 2025 – Present): Supporting with curriculum design.
• Mentor, Workshop Convenor and Writing Group Facilitator – ThePhDPeople (March 2025 – October 2025): Designed and delivered targeted PhD development workshops, facilitated productive daily writing groups, and provided one-to-one mentoring support to doctoral candidates.
• External Accreditor – Advance HE – August 2016 – Present                  Contracted to review applications for Associate Fellowship (D1), Fellowship (D2), Senior Fellowship (D3), Principal Fellowship (D4), National Teaching Fellowships and Collaborative Awards for Teaching Excellence (CATE).
• External Examiner – University of York Professional and Academic Development Scheme (YPAD) – May 2024 – Present
  Serving as an External Examiner for the YPAD scheme, contributing to the quality assurance of professional and academic development programs. Involved in reviewing assessment standards and ensuring academic integrity.
• External Reviewer for D4 PFHEA – University of Wolverhampton KUDOS Scheme – May 2024 – Present
  Reviewing applications for Principal Fellowship (D4) under the University of Wolverhampton’s KUDOS scheme ensures that applicants meet the highest educational leadership and practice standards.
• External Reviewer for D4 PFHEA – Oxford Brookes University (2025 – Present): Reviewing applications for Principal Fellowship, assessing evidence of strategic leadership impact on teaching and learning across the higher education sector.
• Network for Tertiary Education Consultants (NTEC) – November 2023 – Present & Directory for Tertiary Education Consultants (DTEC). Co-founded and currently manage a network and now a Directory dedicated to educational enhancement consultants. The network provides a platform for collaboration, mentoring, and sharing best practices within the consultancy field. The directory provides a searchable database of independent consultants.

Selected Achievements From Previous Roles

• Strategic Educational Leadership & Continuous Improvement: Directed and achieved Triple Gold TEF status at Solent University (2023), placing the institution among only 14 universities nationwide with this distinction and resulting in 15% increase in high-tariff student applications.
• Data-Driven Course Enhancements: Implemented targeted interventions based on learning analytics that reduced BAME attainment gap by 8 percentage points over two academic years (2020-2022) and improved overall student progression rates by 12%.
• Innovative Teaching Models: Led institution-wide transition to blended learning during the pandemic, resulting in 95% content availability within 6 weeks and subsequently embedding these practices into institutional frameworks, improving NSS scores by 9 points in the “Teaching” category.

Previous Roles & Professional Experiences

• Vice Provost Education & Professor of Learning and Teaching – October 2022-August 2023 – Solent University, Southampton – circa. 1000 staff; 12,000 students; budget holder for circa £500K annually pay and non-pay – Directed the university’s strategic submission for the TEF, successfully securing the highest ranking – TEF-triple gold – one of only 14 universities that hold this accolade in the UK – and driving organisational alignment with education strategy.
• Head of Learning & Teaching & Professor of Learning & Teaching – September 2019- October 2022 Solent University, Southampton, UK – Increased institutional teaching quality through developing and delivering a comprehensive professional development program, significantly raising the percentage of staff with Advance HE Fellowship.

• Professor of Education & Society (Personal Chair) – September 2018 – September 2019 – University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, UK – Provided extensive mentoring support to networks of colleagues, including those seeking senior external accreditation via PFHEA recognition and internal promotion through career development pathway from reader to Professor.
• Jean Monnet Chair in European Studies & Director of the Centre of Excellence for Studies in Transnational Europe – September 2017 – September 2019 – University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, UK – Secured over £100,000 in funding for a strategic research project on Transnational Civil Society, contributing to the university’s reputation as a leader in European Studies.
• Reader in European Politics and Public Policy – June 2013 – August 2018 – University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, UK – Consistently achieved top student satisfaction scores across multiple undergraduate and postgraduate modules, recognised for innovative teaching methods and student engagement.
• Co-Director of the Centre for European and International Studies Research – June 2010 – May 2015 – University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, UK – Led a team of 80 researchers within the Centre, managing interdisciplinary research projects that generated over £585,000 in external funding, significantly advancing the Centre’s research output.

Professional Qualifications, Awards and Recognitions

• ILM accredited Level 7 Certificate for Executive and Senior Level Coaches and Mentors – University of South Wales (2025)
• Senior Fellow of the Staff and Educational Development Association (SFSEDA) (2024)
• Fellowship of the Association of Higher Education Professionals (FAHEP) (2024)
• National Teaching Fellow (NTF) (2018) – Recognising outstanding impact on student outcomes
• Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (PFHEA) (2016) – Highest level of AdvanceHE accreditation
• Fellow of the Leadership Foundation (FLF) (2016)

 Education

• Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (2006), University of Portsmouth
• PhD (2005) – European Politics & Public Policy, University of Portsmouth
• Postgraduate Diploma in Social Research Methods (2003)
• BA (Hons) Degree (2001) – European Studies with First Class Honours and Distinction for spoken language performance in French, University of Portsmouth.
• Certificat D’Etudes Politiques (2000)

Volunteering

• Proofreader – Barnardo’s – December 2023 – 2025. Nominated for the Marsh Trust (Annual Volunteer) Awards – Business Services Volunteer of the Year, 2024.
• Student Mentoring – University of Winchester Careers Mentoring Programme – September 2024 – 2025.