Professor Radka Newton
Personal ChairResearch Interests
My primary research focus is on advancing scholarship in management education, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation in teaching and learning. I emphasise the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL), responsible management education, and ESG integration, aiming to build inclusive academic communities and support colleagues in disseminating their scholarly work.
Additionally, I apply human-centered design principles to both policymaking and Higher Education. In policymaking, I use future scenario planning and ethnographic data to promote participatory processes that enhance inclusivity and break decision-making silos. In Higher Education, I focus on empathy-driven, iterative design cycles to create student-centred environments that adapt to evolving challenges and drive institutional change.
Profile
Perosonal Chair in Management Education and Innovation
Radka has two decades of senior input into global educational networks with proven reputation for developing collaborative and cross-functional teams.
Her current research investigates the application of human-centred design principles to complex organsations, with focus on the Higher Education sector and policy deign in regional governments.
Her overarching research interest is in the deployment of human-centred design and process improvement in organisations with the focus on the impact of service operations on applicant and student experience underlined by analysis of capacity and demand management.
Qualifications
ILM 7 Certificate in Executive Coaching and Mentoring, Manchester University, 2017 – 2018, Manchester, UK
Exec MBA, Lancaster University - MBA FT ranked Top 4 in the UK, Distinction, Dissertation topic: Improvement of student experience through service design: understanding the link between organisational culture and student service operations, 2014 – 2016, Lancaster, UK PG Certificate in HE Management and Administration, Association of University Administrators, 2010 –2012, Manchester, UK
Certificate in Academic Practice Module 1, Lancaster University - 2009 Diploma in International Trade, Institute of Export, 2004 –2006, MANCAT, Manchester, UK PhD, Applied Linguistics, 2001 –2004; Palacky University - Top 3 in the Czech Republic (Visiting Researcher in Salford University, UK and University of Limerick, Ireland) MA in Spanish and English Language Studies, 1995 –2001; Palacky University BA in Teaching English as a Foreign Language, 1992 –1995, Palacky University
Current Teaching
Postgraduate modules:
- ENSI531: Design Thinking and Innovation
- ENSI585: Professional Development
- MNGT611: Strategic Management
- CEMBA505: Strategic Management
- FMBA 517: Consultancy Challenge
- ENSI536: Innovation lab
Professional Role
Curriculum Transformation Porgramme Lead
External Roles
Member of EFMD Masters Centre Committee
Member of Chartered Association of Business Schools LTSE Committee
Adjunct faculty in Catolica Porto Business School, Porto, Portugal
External Examiner Nottingham Trent University
External Examiner University College Cork
Research Overview
My primary research focus is on advancing scholarship in management education, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation in teaching and learning. My expertise is in implementing human-centred design principles to education and work with students as partners to co-design engaging learning experiences. I champion experiential and engaged learning and inquire into opportunities for students to become involved in the university civic agenda, binging positive change to local communities. I focus on developing students' skills for life through reflective practice encouraging curiosity and criticality. My scholarship explores the application of design thinking in delivering responsible and sustainable curriculum. I also explore aspects of developing educators with creative capabilities adapted from design thinking that promote collaboration.
Lancaster Evaluation Group
13/02/2024 → 31/07/2024
Research
Design thinking for Higher Education - Advance HE Workforce of the future
01/12/2023 → 01/07/2024
Research
Dissertation in Place
01/09/2023 → 30/06/2025
Research
IAA: IN-PLACE: Connecting Design and Policy for meeting Net-ZERO targets
01/09/2023 → 31/03/2025
Research
Co-creating sustainable communities: Dissertation In Place
01/08/2023 → 31/07/2024
Research
Regenerative place stewardship in local entrepreneurial ecosystems
01/08/2023 → 31/03/2024
Research
I-Connect: Co-designing Sustainable Communities
01/11/2022 → 31/07/2023
Research
IAA - AHRC Impact Acceleration Account
01/04/2022 → 31/03/2026
Research
Innovation Across Boundaries: Implementing Design Thinking Practices in Innovation Ecosystems and Policy Making in Germany and the United Kingdom
01/09/2021 → 30/09/2024
Research
Transforming Communities: Placed-based new venture planning through the inter-connectivity of enterprise and design
01/08/2021 → 31/07/2023
Research
Corpus Analysis of Sellafield Employee Forum and Interviews
18/01/2021 → 31/03/2021
Research
Improving student experience with service design
01/09/2019 → 30/07/2022
Research
Organizational change at Magnox Reprocessing Plant
01/05/2018 → 31/03/2021
Research
Integrating design thinking into management education
01/01/2018 → 31/08/2020
Research
Sustaining SoTL in a Challenging Higher Education Climate
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Future Scenario Planning for local policymaking: lessons from Lancashire
Influence on Policy, Practice, Patients & the Public
Student-Centred Curriculum: Transition from Knowledge Application
Invited talk
Advance HE (Publisher)
Publication peer-review
People’s Jury on Climate Change Way of the Roses and Start of the Greenway Revitalisation Project
Public Lecture/ Debate/Seminar
Business Education Scholarship & Teaching (BEST) network (External organisation)
Membership of board
Winter SIMELAND
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Smart Learning: AI and Digital Technologies
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Transforming HE with Human-Centred Design
Public Lecture/ Debate/Seminar
Book launch
Oral presentation
Journal of Scholarship and Innovation in Management Education (Journal)
Editorial activity
Buckle up folk… 2050 has arrived!
Invited talk
SIME Summer Fest
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Keynote: Tom’s Christmas Trifle
Invited talk
CiviCon24
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
CiviCon24
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Design Thinking 4 Higher Education
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Lancaster Evaluation Group Seminars
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Business Education Scholarship & Teaching (BEST) network (External organisation)
Membership of committee
Collaboratory 2 – INSIGHT
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Developing the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning workshop
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Hunter Center for Entrepreneurship, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland, UK (External organisation)
Membership of committee
Design Thinking 4 Higher Education - Discovery
Public Lecture/ Debate/Seminar
Place-making + policy design = NET-0
Public Lecture/ Debate/Seminar
I-Connect Project
Invited talk
Empathy in curriculum design
Oral presentation
Using Blogs and Social Media for Scholarship in Management Education
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Roll into Spring: Lune Valley Family Fun Day
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Electech: Trade-offs in Place-based Entrepreneurial Ecosystems
Oral presentation
Instagram in Economics modules: transformative impact of integrating social networks into learning
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Business Education Scholarship & Teaching (BEST) network conversations
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Hosting Scott Schmidt
Types of External academic engagement - Hosting an academic visitor
The utility of user personas in higher education development projects
Invited talk
FutureDesignEd 2020: Updating values - San Marino, Italy (Event)
Publication peer-review
Pilkington Teaching Award
Prize (including medals and awards)
- Centre for Scholarship and Innovation in Management Education
- Pentland Centre