About
Sarah Hayes is a Professor of Education and Research Lead in the School of Education at Bath Spa University, UK. She holds an honorary professorship at Aston University and previously served as Professor of Higher Education Policy at the University of Wolverhampton (2018–2022). Her roles include Programme Director for the PG Dip and ME.d programs at CLIPP (Centre for Lifelong Learning and Professional Practice), and she has extensive experience in academic leadership, including REF coordination and editorial roles for Postdigital Science and Education.
She holds a PhD in Sociology from Aston University, alongside advanced qualifications in educational research and IT management. Her teaching focuses on postgraduate education, research methods, and technology's societal impact.
Research interests span Digital Society, Postdigital Cultures, Critical Pedagogy, and Data-Driven Systems, with recent EPSRC-funded projects addressing Human Data Interaction (HDI) and digital inclusion. Key publications include Postdigital Positionality (2021) and Human Data Interaction, Disadvantage and Skills in the Community (2023). She has been recognized with awards including the SEDA/Jisc Institutional Change Leader Award (2015) and Principal Fellowship of the HEA (2016).
Professional roles include external examiner at Buckinghamshire New University and Birmingham City University, alongside editorial and advisory roles. Her work bridges academia and policy, with outputs in peer-reviewed journals, edited volumes, and parliamentary reports.
