Our staff
We are a diverse and multi-lingual team from all over the world, coming together to provide the best teaching and support services for you.
Explore our profiles to connect with individual members of the UCAE team.
Management team
Gavin has undergraduate and postgraduate degrees from the University of Leeds, the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), and University College London (UCL), and also has an MA in Applied Linguistics and English Language Teaching, and the Cambridge DELTA - both from King’s College London (KCL).
Before Manchester, Gavin worked in a number of UK university Language Centres’, including the LSE (Assistant Co-ordinator), KCL (Deputy Director) and the University of Bristol (Director).
Gavin’s role at Manchester sees him responsible for the strategic leadership and management of the Centre’s academic and professional services operations, and he sits on School and University groups to enable this remit.
Gavin’s current interests lie in the challenges and possibilities of technology on the sector, and what the internationalisation of education means to students regardless of nationality.
Ruth completed her undergraduate degree at The University of Liverpool and achieved her master's degree in TESOL from The University of Manchester.
After completing her undergraduate degree, Ruth gained a Diploma in Teaching English to speakers of other languages (DELTA) and taught in Spain, Egypt and Venezuela before moving to Manchester and making it her home.
During her time at the university, Ruth has held a series of teaching and leadership roles within the Centre, including Head of Pre-sessional programmes, and having gained her Senior Fellowship worked as a local assessor for the Advance HE Fellowships.
Ruth is the Centre’s Teaching and Learning Lead and is responsible for the effective day-to-day management of academic operations. Alongside her current role, she is a teacher trainer and the Course Director of an in-service qualification awarded by Trinity College London.
She is a member of the university-level Qualifications Group and at School-level is the department’s representative for EDI. She is also an observer for the BALEAP TEAP Accreditation Scheme.
Ruth has a particular passion for developing student learning communities which provide an equitable experience for students no matter their cultural or linguistic background, location or mode of study.
Rob has a BSc in Environmental Biology and an MA in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, both from the University of Manchester. He also holds the DELTA (Diploma in English Language Teaching to Adults), awarded by International House.
Rob taught in Bolivia, Poland and the UK before joining the University of Manchester, where he has held teaching and leadership roles, including Head of Academic Success Programme.
In his current role, he leads on all aspects of the UCAE’s Pre-sessional and English Summer Programmes, and provides academic direction to the Centre’s timetabling operations.
Rob is interested in managing projects and people, and completed the Leaders in Teaching Programme. He has also presented on his experiences of working with a “critical friend” in another university. He leads on projects to develop and edit teaching materials to ensure they suit the changing English for Academic Purposes needs of students, and has created and reviewed student-facing materials for an international publisher.
Francesca completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Leicester (with a year at Colorado State University), and also has an MSc in Management Practice from the University of Salford.
Before her role at the University of Manchester, Francesca held a number of administrative management roles at UCLan, Edge Hill University and the University of Salford.
Francesca leads the Centre’s Professional Services team and is responsible for the strategic direction of the team as well as managing the day to day administrative operations, which includes teaching & learning, student support & experience, admissions, marketing & recruitment, learning resources and the IELTS exams team. Francesca is a member of the School’s Professional Services Leadership Team.
Francesca’s interests lie in enhancing the international student experience through continuous service improvement.
Academic English teaching team
Sara has been at the University of Manchester since 2009, but prior to that worked in Further and Secondary Education. She has BA in Modern Languages and speaks several European and Asian languages. At the UCAE she is the co-ordinator for Foundation Programmes in the faculties of Science and Engineering, Biology, Medicine and Health.
She is also currently doing a Doctorate in Education in the role of generative AI in developing academic literacy skills for study in Higher Education for international students who use English as a second or additional language. Apart from an interest in languages whether human or artificial, she has travelled widely for both work and leisure to experience different cultures and food.
She is involved in environmental issues and her favourite place in the world at this moment in time is the Hortus Botanicus in Amsterdam as it is a haven for peace and biodiversity which are the two things she is passionate about.
Craig has a BA International Business, MA Applied Linguistics, Cambridge ICELT, PgCert English Language Teaching with Assessed Teaching Practice (covering DELTA modules) and is an aspiring PhD candidate. Craig also holds a fellowship from the Higher Education Academy and is currently working towards Senior Fellow.
Before joining the University of Manchester in 2022, Craig taught EFL in South Korea, EAP at Bilkent University in Turkey, EAP and Foundation Business Management at Huddersfield University, and more recently EAP at King’s College London, where Craig was an assistant co-ordinator focusing on the development and delivery of Pre-sessional programmes, assessments, and online short courses. During this period, Craig was also nominated for consecutive King’s Education Awards for Teaching Excellence.
Craig’s current role at UCAE focuses primarily on developing and co-ordinating assessments for the Pre-sessional programmes, as well as teaching on a range of courses offered by UCAE. Craig’s interests lie in developing assessment for learning practices, inclusive teaching and assessment, sustainable learning, and widening participation in HE.
Outside of UCAE, Craig is also a current IELTS speaking examiner.
Ben has a master's degree in TESOL from the University of Nottingham in addition to a Diploma in Teaching English to speakers of other languages (DELTA).
Before joining the University of Manchester in 2022, Ben taught EFL in Japan and Russia where he co-founded and managed a language school.
Ben’s role at UCAE includes teaching on a range of courses. He is also involved in writing materials, including developing a credit-bearing course for undergraduates studying in Manchester on an exchange programme.
He is interested in creating opportunities for continuing professional development and took a leading role in organising the 2025 UCAE Conference.
Claire holds an undergraduate degree in Modern Languages from the University of Oxford and a master’s degree in Education (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) from the University of Manchester. Her professional qualifications include the Cambridge Diploma in Teaching English to Adults (DELTA), and she is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA).
Claire has worked in Higher Education since 2009, having held posts in two other universities before joining Manchester’s UCAE full-time in 2019. Her English Language Teaching background spans a range of sectors, including language schools and Further Education, and she has experience teaching overseas as well as in the UK.
Claire teaches and co-ordinates on a range of UCAE courses, including the Academic Success Programme and the Pre-sessional courses. She takes a keen interest in the development of course materials and in training teachers and other colleagues in the sector. Claire is a member of the University’s Qualifications Group and represents the UCAE on the Committee for Social Responsibility and Internationalisation that sits within the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures.
Mark did his undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in Manchester. After completing his master's degree, Mark obtained his DELTA also in Manchester.
He has worked in Asia, Australasia and also Europe before working at The University of Manchester, Manchester Metropolitan and The University of Sheffield where he ran the Pre-sessional course for 5 years.
Mark is also the external examiner for Nottingham Trent University for their Pre-sessional course as well as an OET examiner and assessor for Advance HE Fellowships.
Mark's interests lie in both Pre-sessional and in-sessional camps with a focus on innovative teaching methods.
Nicola has a BA in European Studies and Spanish from the University of Leeds, a Cambridge DELTA and is concluding an MA in Digital Technologies, Communication and Education at the University of Manchester.
Before joining the UCAE, Nicola worked in Hong Kong for a decade. She taught Business English in the banking and accountancy sectors before moving into Academic English and working as a Visiting Lecturer at Hong Kong Polytechnic University. In this role, Nicola specialised in teaching writing and speaking for specific degree pathways including Social Work and Marketing and Advertising. Nicola has also lived and taught in Shanghai, Seville, Mumbai, Frankfurt and Johannesburg.
Nicola currently teaches across a full range of UCAE courses. She has a particular interest in navigating learning and assessment in the context of AI and has recently been involved in designing a new strand of assessment.
Rachel coordinates the in-year Academic English and Skills provision for students in the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health and teaches on a range of UCAE courses. Rachel completed her undergraduate degree in Modern Foreign Languages at The University of Birmingham before teaching English in a range of contexts in the UK and South America. She has a Diploma in Teaching English to speakers of other languages (DELTA) and a master's degree in TESOL and Applied Linguistics. She also holds Fellowship status from the Higher Education Academy and is currently working towards Senior Fellowship.
Rachel first worked at UCAE as a Pre-sessional Tutor before joining the Centre as an Academic English Tutor in 2021 and later transitioning to her current role in 2024. She is interested in the ever-changing role of technology in education and passionate about creating student-centred learning environments for students of all backgrounds. While working at UCAE, she has also tutored prospective students as part of the university’s widening participation scheme and established ongoing UCAE teacher-training support for volunteers teaching ESOL through the student-led ‘Speak Up’ project.
Sheena has a Bachelor of Engineering from the University of Wales (Swansea), an MA in Education and Applied Linguistics (Open) and a PhD in Linguistics from Lancaster University. Her PhD thesis and subsequent monograph with Lexington Press (Second generation South Asian Britons: Multilingualism, Heritage Languages and diasporic identities) explore narratives of migration and multilingualism.
Previously, Sheena taught at Manchester Metropolitan, Keele, Staffordshire and Edinburgh Universities. Before her career in Higher Education, she taught English Language all over the world, including in Nepal, Mozambique, Tunisia and Equatorial Guinea.
Sheena is now Senior Lecturer and teaches in both the UCAE and the Centre of Translation and Intercultural Studies (CTIS). In the latter, she lectures and supervises dissertations in the MA in Intercultural Communication. In the UCAE, she has had several teaching and co-ordination roles, but most recently supports PGR students across the Faculty of Humanities and Faculty of Science and Engineering. She has also held leadership roles for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion at both department and School level.
Sheena is also an author: her most recent novel is The Others (FlyOnTheWall, 2025). Off duty, she plays and sings in The Long Game, a husband-and-wife acoustic duo.
Alison has an undergraduate degree in English Studies/Linguistics (University of Nottingham) and MA Linguistics (University of Manchester). She gained the Cambridge RSA Dip. TEFLA from Hammersmith and West London College and is working towards attaining HEA Senior Fellowship.
Previously, Alison taught in language schools and universities in the UK, Indonesia, Lithuania and Taiwan, and was an Academic Co-ordinator, managing schools and teaching teams in Jakarta.
In her current role, Alison teaches across University-wide and in-Centre courses. She is a Co-ordinator for the Centre’s Pre-sessional and year-round courses, including the English Winter and Summer Programmes. Alison leads materials and course development projects, including those for an MA Linguistics module and year-round programmes. She co-developed the CertPT in Teaching EAP, a training course for practising teachers, awarded by Trinity College London.
Regarding teaching and research, Alison is fascinated by speaking skills and pronunciation, and the influence of first language on English oral production. She is passionate about teacher training and development, has been a Trinity CertTESOL trainer, and is a trainer on the CertPT course. She regularly develops and delivers CPD sessions and is also an observer for the BALEAP TEAP Accreditation Scheme.
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Neil has a BSc Computer Science, MA Applied Linguistics, Diploma in Teaching English to speakers of other languages (DELTA), and a PGCert HE.
Before joining the University of Manchester in 2013, Neil worked in Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Cyprus, Libya and China as a teacher and lecturer, and also worked as a quality assurance and process manager.
Neil’s is the UCAE lead on educational technology and focuses primarily on developing and coordinating the delivery of online material and courses. Neil’s interests lie in materials development, alternative assessment practices, and the use of AI in EAP practices.
She has a BA in History, an MA in Applied Linguistics and a teaching Diploma.
She first worked abroad in Singapore where she taught EFL and ESOL at the UN refugee camp. She then joined the British Council for over 10 years working in Naples, Italy, Sofia, Bulgaria and Bilbao, Spain. Her roles included developing and teaching on courses for doctors, training Italian teachers of English, IELTs training and invigilation, and Business English. On returning to the UK, she became a CELTA teacher trainer for a number of years, eventually setting up and training the trainers at centres across the north-west. At the same time, she continued working with refugees and asylum seekers.
Before joining the University of Manchester in 2003, Sally worked at a number of other UK universities including Lancaster, Nottingham, Liverpool and Sheffield, both on Pre-sessional and year-round courses.
At the UCAE, Manchester, Sally is mostly involved with co-ordinating bespoke and credit-bearing course units across the university. She has developed and coordinated the summer ESP courses for a number of years. She is also currently co-ordinating the Pre-sessional observations team. Sally’s passion however remains in the classroom, teaching both home and international students.
Cassie holds a CELTA, a DELTA, a BA in English Language and an MA in TESOL and Applied Linguistics. She is also a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
Cassie came to Manchester in 2017 as an international student for her Master’s study, after a few years of teaching English in Vietnam. Since finishing her Master's, she has taught at universities in England, Scotland and China and at language schools in Brazil. She joined the University of Manchester in July 2024.
Cassie is also a researcher whose interest lies in integrating technology into learning and teaching. She is currently exploring the integration of AI literacy into EAP contexts. Her latest publication can be found in the journal English for Specific Purposes.
Michelle has a BA in Drama, an MA in TESOL from the University of Manchester, and the Cambridge DELTA.
Before joining UCAE, Michelle worked in a number of other universities, including Staffordshire University, BPP, King’s College London (KCL) and Keele University, in both teaching and co-ordination roles. At Staffordshire University, in addition to her work in the UK, her role involved supporting partners overseas. This included testing in Spain, and teaching and testing in China. She was an IPA for the International Foundation Programme, working with an institution in China. She has also worked in private language schools in the UK, Japan and Spain.
Her work involves both teaching and development work on a range of courses, including in-sessional and Pre-sessional courses. For her role in helping to convert a face-to-face Pre-sessional course to a fully online course due to the COVID pandemic, she received a ‘Rewarding Exceptional Performance’ award.
Michelle’s interests lie in the student experience and wellbeing, intercultural communication, and community building.
After reading classics as an undergraduate, Wayne completed postgraduate degrees in TESOL and education.
Prior to his current role, Wayne taught across a range of contexts and curriculum types in the UK and overseas.
Wayne teaches on pre-university, in-sessional and Pre-sessional courses. His professional interests are eclectic but he is committed to data-informed pedagogy.
Kate holds an MA in Applied Linguistics, a Cambridge DELTA, and a CELTA, with experience teaching English for Academic Purposes (EAP) and English Language across a variety of courses and student cohorts. Growing up in Qatar and teaching in Japan sparked her passion for different cultures and communities, ultimately leading her to a career in EAP.
Since joining UCAE, Kate has contributed to a wide range of programmes, including pre-sessional EAP, Cert-PT, foundation courses, PhD dissertation writing, and in-sessional academic language and skills support. While at UCAE and in previous positions, she has worked closely with students from diverse academic backgrounds, embedding EAP into disciplines such as Politics, Health Sciences, Chemistry, Business, and Engineering to support their academic success.
A key aspect of Kate’s work is designing engaging and effective teaching materials tailored to different learning needs. She has developed course content and independent learning initiatives that align with students’ academic goals. Her interest in digital education has led her to explore the integration of educational technologies into EAP teaching, including the use of Virtual Reality (VR) for immersive language learning and Generative AI tools to enhance academic writing support.
Beyond teaching, Kate is passionate about leveraging technology to create innovative and accessible learning experiences. She has contributed to projects focused on AI literacy, helping students critically engage with emerging technologies in academic contexts. Her research interests include technology-enhanced learning, digital assessment practices, and the evolving role of AI in academic English instruction.
Kamil completed his undergraduate degree in Teaching English as a Foreign Language at The University of Nicolaus Copernicus in Torun (Poland). He then moved to the UK to do an MA in Translation Studies at Aston University. Having graduated in 2009, he began teaching English for Academic Purposes for various UK Higher Education Institutions, such as Staffordshire and Edge Hill Universities (via Birmingham College), before joining the University of Manchester in the summer of 2011.
During his time at the university, Kamil has taught a diversity of language courses, from more General English and exam preparation-focused to Pre-sessional and In-sessional Academic English provision. He has also delivered a credit-bearing module called Language Acquisition and Language Learners to students of MA Linguistics and supervised dissertation on this degree programme.
Apart from teaching, Kamil has also developed materials and assessments, including high stakes end of Pre-sessional Writing, Speaking and Reading exams. He has also co-ordinated six-week Pre-sessional courses and is currently the co-ordinator of Academic Success Programme for the Faculty of Humanities.
Passionate about professional development, Kamil is the centre’s BALEAP Rep and has led different CPD initiatives including the organisation of UCAE Conference in 2023 and 2024. In addition, Kamil has continued to study, completed Cambridge DELTA (EAP specialism) and is currently working towards a Diploma in Leadership and Management.
Liam completed undergraduate degrees at The University of Liverpool and The University of Salford and then achieved a distinction in his master's degree in Applied Linguistics at Aston University. He also gained a distinction in the Cambridge Diploma in teaching English to speakers of other languages (DELTA). He has worked on the university’s Pre-sessional and other summer courses since 2014, and was made permanent after returning from living abroad in 2022. Before becoming full-time at Manchester, Liam taught at institutions including British Council in Bangkok and Madrid, Menéndez Pelayo International University, and various other language centres abroad and in the UK.
Liam’s currently teaches on a range of the centre’s programmes including the Pre-sessional, and in-sessional academic and non-academic English courses. He also develops materials for various UCAE courses, has led workshops on communicating across cultures for colleagues in the wider university, and has developed and run practical sessions for volunteer teachers working at local schools with parents whose first language is not English.
Outside of the UCAE, Liam is also an IELTS speaking examiner, and his interests include corpus linguistics, discourse analysis and increasing interactivity in both the academic and non-academic classroom.
Professional Services team
Rachael completed her undergraduate degree in French and German at the University of Salford, followed by a PGCE from the University of Cumbria.
Rachael is responsible for providing customer service and general advice to prospective test takers, as well as completing pre- and post-test administrative tasks and ensuring smooth test day operation.
Having gained experience in a variety of roles, including sales, customer service, technical support and PA to restaurant directors, Rachael has found her place within Professional Services at The University of Manchester. Initially joining UCAE on an agency contract, Rachael became a substantive staff member after one year and is looking forward to a long tenure with the university.
Rachael has a passion for languages and enjoys learning about different cultures both in and out of work.
Angela is an English and Politics graduate and has worked in various roles in the FE and HE sectors for over 35 years.
As Resources Co-ordinator, Angela is primarily responsible for the Open Learning Centre for Languages & Academic English (OLCLAE), working to provide a welcoming and adaptable environment across its reception, multimedia areas and libraries; and ensuring that staff and students have access to the equipment and library resources they need to support their teaching and learning.
Angela's remit extends to many languages beyond English, and her interest in film (and in particular the role it can play in language learning) has done much to influence her curation of the Open Learning Centre library's extensive and ever-expanding international cinema collection.
Cynthia has a Bachelor of Commerce degree. Her experience in UCAE lies in processing applications for in-house courses and provides information and guidance to prospective students and stakeholders. She supports student admissions processes and ensures that applicants have a positive experience and introduction to the University.
Cynthia is passionate about guiding prospective students through the application process.
Lisa started working in Higher Education in 2003 as a trainee molecular biology technician at The University of Sheffield. After joining the University of Manchester in 2006, Lisa worked as a Senior Research Technician in the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health. She left the laboratory behind in 2014 to move into Technical Operations, managing teams of up to 30 technicians. She also contributed to the design and rollout of the Faculty of Science and Engineering technical review, a four-year project to improve and integrate technical services.
Lisa joined UCAE in 2023 to take on a new challenge and move into a wider context of Higher Education. Part of the Deputy Centre Manager’s role is to assist with the successful delivery of the summer Pre-sessional courses and a large proportion of her year is dedicated to the recruitment of our summer language tutors. As Lisa moves into her second year at UCAE, she hopes to be able to make improvements to processes and continue to contribute to the effective running of the Centre.
Ali has a BA in the History of Art and Design from The University of Staffordshire and later completed courses in Film and Digital Media at the WFA in Manchester. She has worked in digital media in Secondary and Further Education, prior to working in Higher Education.
Ali has worked at the University of Manchester since 2014 and joined the UCAE to support the Pre-sessional courses in 2021, bringing with her a broad experience of programme support for several programmes.
Ali’s particular interests are in digital learning environments and internationalisation. She is passionate about developing easily navigable designs and layouts for learning materials and in cultivating a supportive learning environment for UCAE students.
Cole completed her undergraduate degree in German at The University of Exeter, which included an Erasmus year studying Linguistics at The Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg in Germany.
Prior to joining UCAE in October 2024, Cole worked in Digital Learning at The University of Exeter, assisting with the maintenance of their Virtual Learning Environment and redevelopment of course pages and resources to maximise accessibility, engagement, and student experience.
In her current role, Cole is responsible for all administrative tasks which enable the smooth running of all Academic Success Programme courses, including data analysis to inform the continuous improvement and development of the ASP offering. In addition to this, Cole provides support in the planning and implementation of timetabling for all programmes and courses within the Centre.
Karan has an undergraduate degree in History from the Open University which she completed in 2014. Outside of UCAE, she is an IELTS Invigilator for the British Council.
Karan joined the Centre in 2011, but previously worked in the Radiology Department in the Stopford Medical School where she was the Administrator for the Manchester Radiology Training Scheme.
Karan’s role involves setting up class documents, monitoring attendance, updating handbooks, uploading student materials to the University’s central learning environment and booking teaching rooms. She supports the Course Co-ordinators to ensure a positive experience for our students.
Outside of UCAE, Karan is an IELTS Invigilator for the British Council.
Francesca completed her undergraduate degree in History at Manchester Metropolitan University.
Francesca’s experience is within student support in higher education. Before joining the University Centre for Academic English, Francesca worked at The University of Huddersfield for 5 years, most recently as a Student Support and Guidance Officer in the Business school and in another student experience role. In this role, Francesca became a Mental Health First Aider with MHFA England and has attended many courses.
Francesca is a also a staff wellbeing champion at the University and is passionate about student wellbeing, disability support, mental health and the student experience. Francesca also has a TEFL certificate and is planning to gain a counselling skills qualification outside of work.
Zoe completed her undergraduate degree in Modern Greek Studies at The University of Birmingham, which included an Erasmus year in Athens.
Zoe’s experience lies in international student recruitment and relationship management. Before joining the University Centre for Academic English, she worked in international student recruitment and managed recruitment Agent and sponsor networks.
Zoe’s interests lie in internationalisation, social responsibility and community engagement and the student experience.
Zoe is a member of the University’s General Assembly and also sits on the Faculty’s wellbeing working group.
Roberta has a master's degree in Pharmacy from Aston University. After completing pre-registration training in Sheffield, she worked as a pharmacist before moving into managerial positions within the NHS, secondary education and the retail sector.
Roberta joined The University of Manchester as an IELTS Officer in July 2022 providing administrative support to the IELTS test centre. She is currently acting as the IELTS Manager role and is responsible for the operational needs of the test centre, ensuring successful test day delivery and providing strategic future planning for the centre.
I have worked at the University Centre for Academic English since 2016 as an IELTS Officer. My main duties include organising pre-and post-test documentation; liaising with examiners, invigilators and markers; and overseeing test days as required. Prior to my current role, I worked as a teaching assistant at Alliance Manchester Business School.
Outside of work, I enjoy cooking, reading and travelling.