Leading With Purpose Podcast
News
In conversation with BSU VC Georgina Andrews and former Education Secretary Justine Greening
Wednesday, 25 March, 2026Vice-Chancellor and CEO of Bath Spa University, Professor Georgina Andrews has spoken about the University’s upcoming new Strategy on a leading political podcast.
The Rt Honourable Justine Greening spoke with Professor Andrews, for her ‘Leading With Purpose’ podcast series which explores how leaders are working to break down barriers to opportunity and level up the UK.
The former Education Secretary and Chancellor of Southampton University visited the Newton Park campus for BSU’s Inaugural Chancellors’ Dinner to interview Professor Andrews and learn about Bath Spa University’s forthcoming new Strategy 2035 and discuss how BSU is shaping the future of higher education through collaboration, lifelong learning, and a commitment to social impact and inclusive growth.
Speaking during the podcast on how the core values of BSU have underpinned the new Strategy 2035, Professor Andrews said:
“BSU is the Professionally Creative University for the Future, it’s at the heart of our purpose and our planning. We’ll shortly be launching our Strategy 2035, and we’re reaffirming our commitment to professional creativity.”
“Also important to BSU, are inclusion and inclusive growth, these are our core values as a university. This is shown in our various teaching sites. There are different types of diversity within each of our locations. For example, a third of our learners in Bath have a declared disability, and in London 95% of our learners are classed as mature.”
She continued:
“One of our other core values as a university is collaboration. We know that if we work together, if we partner with others, then we’re going to achieve much more. Partnership is important to us, New City College in London are a great example - we’ve been working with them for five years now. It’s a unique partnership between a university and a further education college working together as equals and learning from each other.”
One topic of conversation was BSU’s successful Short Course Unit, which delivers training and courses to adult learners throughout the South West and across the UK. Recently given an OFSTED Outstanding rating for its Adult Skills provision, including Skills Bootcamps and Adult Community Learning, the Short Courses Unit, provides learners with a chance to upskill or reskill, the Vice-Chancellor said:
“Short courses tend to be for people who are in employment, and either upskilling or reskilling. A high number of our learners are women, and women who have their own business, and it’s about taking their business to the next level.”
“The short courses fit around people’s working patterns, so they are very flexible. It’s a provision we are very proud of, and we have supported around 2,000 students through our short courses.”
Another topic that was explored was the ‘inclusive communities’ work done by BSU, the Vice-Chancellor discussed this further:
“This is often undertaken by people who aren’t in employment, studying in our inclusive communities’ centres. Within these learning centres there are often female learners with families, and one of the challenges they faced was childcare, so we set up facilities next to the learning centres to aid this. It’s about breaking down barriers and giving access to learning for everyone.”
Professor Andrews described why Professional Creativity is at the core of the University’s purpose and vision for the future:
“Professional Creativity is important to us as a university, as employers say that creativity is a key attribute that they are looking for from graduates, regardless of sector.”
She continued:
“It transcends subject disciplines. For subjects like science, business, education, and teaching, creativity is really important. Of course, it is also important for our creative industries courses as well, just in a different way.”
The full ‘Leading With Purpose’ episode is now available to listen to, on all podcast platforms.