Sue Higginson

After winning several industry awards, working in industry, Sue was sponsored to return to Higher Education to develop training in new technologies for hi tech manufacturing. Discovering a passion for education she changed career and retrained as a teacher to design and deliver further and higher education to meet the needs of industry. Whilst working as a teacher, Sue continued to study achieving an international MBA specialising in educational leadership, as well as achieving professional and post graduate leadership qualifications, to include Chartered Manager, Fellowship of the Chartered Management Institute and Fellowship of the Institute of Leadership. Her focus was to build employer-led partnerships and develop non-traditional pathways to higher education to widen access for the most vulnerable in our community. This was recognised in 2023 with the award of an Honorary Doctorate DBA, from the University of Chester, in recognition of her role in widening participation in higher education.

Sue’s own career developed from Teacher, Faculty Head, Vice Principal and since 2012, over 11 years as a college Principal and CEO, supporting over 500 staff and c10,000 students each year, including leading the organisation through the Covid Pandemic.  Sue’s passion to increase access to the most vulnerable and under-represented students resulted in her college being the first in the City Region to be awarded ‘College of Sanctuary’ for transformational work with refugees and asylum seekers by placing equality; diversity and inclusion at its core, whilst also building strategic partnerships with hundreds of employers and community leaders.     

Recognised in the King’s New Year’s Honours 2023, Sue was awarded an OBE for services to Further Education which spanned over 33 years. Since retiring from her role as Principal, she continues to support the further education sector as Director of the Association of Liverpool City Region Colleges as well as holding a portfolio of non-executive Director / Trusteeships including with the Association of Colleges, National Charity Board; Eureka Science and Discovery Children’s Museums in Wirral and Halifax, Birkenhead School and as a volunteer for Clatterbridge Cancer Centre.