Stuart Coussins

I am a senior educational leader with over 15 years’ experience in further and higher education, specialising in adult learning, apprenticeships, curriculum innovation, and regulatory compliance. As a former Head of Higher Education, Access and Adult at USP College and Executive Head of Quality, Compliance and Legal Affairs at Oxford Business College, I have successfully led large-scale curriculum portfolios, secured Ofsted ‘Good’ outcomes for adult learning, and delivered compliant, high-performing apprenticeship and higher education provision. My leadership combines strategic planning with operational impact, delivering measurable improvements in learner experience, retention and teaching quality. At Oxford Business College, I implemented academic risk strategies and blended delivery models that resulted in a 3% increase in student retention, a 7% uplift in engagement, and a 12% improvement in internal teaching observation ratings within a single academic year. At USP College, I led adult learning provision through Ofsted EIF inspection, achieving a ‘Good’ outcome, and delivered an 8% increase in NSS satisfaction through inclusive curriculum enhancements and partnership-led programme design. I have acted as Quality Nominee for OfS registration, applied ESFA and IFATE funding rules to inform curriculum strategy, and chaired academic governance panels overseeing validation, performance and improvement planning. My approach is collaborative, values-led and outcomes-focused, supporting teams to raise standards and respond dynamically to learner, employer and regulatory needs. Currently a Strategic Consultant in climate-tech, I support modular upskilling frameworks aligned to net-zero policy, extending my expertise in lifelong learning and workforce transformation.

Aspire Leadership Programme (FE Associates) | Leading From the Middle (ILM3) | Talking About Mental Health as a Leader| Finance Foundations: Corporate Governance | Safeguarding | Prevent |