Dr. Nicola Watchman Smith (PFHEA, PhD) is Deputy Director of Student Learning within SLAR (Teesside University), where she leads the Student Learning function (Student Success team; Student Journey team).  Previous roles include: Head of Academic Apprenticeships & Teaching Excellence Awards at Advance HE, Programme Director (Humanities Undergraduate provision) at Cardiff Metropolitan University, and Head of Higher Education at Newcastle College University Centre.

Nicola is Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (PFHEA) and sits on numerous committees and Boards, including member of the QAA’s Advisory Committee for Degree Awarding Powers (ACDAP), In it Together EDI UK co-founder, RAISE committee member, and Co-Vice Chair of Governors at New College Durham.

A published author, Nicola writes on various topics, usually associated with either higher education or popular music.

Recent publications:
Tolson, D., Watchman Smith, N., Irving-Bell, D. & Weaver, M. eds. (2021) The CATE Collection: Together in Collaborative Educational Leadership, Advance HE.

International Journal for Students as Partners Vol. 5 No. 1 (2021) - Voices from the Field, Diversifying students-as-partners participants and practices

Raine, S., Watchman Smith, N. and Wall, T. eds. (2020) 'The Northern Soul Scene', Equinox.