Lancaster University is welcoming a new leadership team for Student Wellbeing, located in the Student and Education Services Division.

Sabiha Patel will take up the brand new role of Associate Director (Student Wellbeing and Inclusion) from Monday, 27^th April, while Dr Sarah Sweeney has been appointed Interim Head of Student Wellbeing Services.

Sabiha joins us from the University of Leeds where she has performed university-wide leadership roles for some six years in the field of inclusion and equality, working across teams in HR, student services and other professional services.

She said: “I am delighted to join Lancaster University. My immediate priority is to work with colleagues to ensure that all our students are effectively supported through the Covid-19 pandemic period.

“Once we are through this, I hope to ensure that student wellbeing and inclusion is established and embedded as a key institutional priority. I am privileged to take on this new role and am looking forward to working collaboratively with colleagues and students to help the University to achieve this aim.”

Dr Sarah Sweeney has taken up the role of Head of Student Wellbeing Services, on a secondment basis from her position as Faculty Manager for the Faculty of Science and Technology. Dr Sweeney has been driving the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion agenda at faculty and University level, and recently co-authored the University’s Athena SWAN submission.

She has a wealth of experience in other universities in areas including student services and teaching, and works in the third sector on a voluntary basis supporting disadvantaged people.

Dr Sweeney said: “I’m excited to have joined Student and Education Services (SES) and I am really enjoying working with the student wellbeing teams, colleges and departments to provide a high quality support service that enables students to achieve their best and make the most of their university experience.

“This is particularly challenging in the current environment, and with the move to online teaching and learning my main focus will be making sure that students receive the same excellent level of support while studying remotely as they would usually receive on campus.”

Heather Knight, Director of Students, Education and Academic Services, said: “Welcoming both Sabiha and Sarah to our team is such an exciting prospect. We are really fortunate to have recruited such talented people to steer and shape Lancaster’s student wellbeing provision for the future. Sabiha and Sarah will lead on a number of planned initiatives such as the implementation of a case management system, aligning and connecting proactive and responsive pastoral support of students across all areas, driving the creation of a more inclusive environment for students and removing barriers that prevent students from achieving their full potential.”