Gillian Forster

Dr. Gillian Forster serves as Director of Education for Postgraduate Programmes in the Department of Marketing and Operation Systems, and Postgraduate Framework Lead for Newcastle Business School within the Faculty of Business and Law at Northumbria University. She specializes in enhancing postgraduate education through curriculum design, employability interventions, and cross-cultural management research. Her work includes leading residential weekends for leadership development and a co-development coaching program for international female students.

Education:

• PhD in Human Resource Management (1993)
• MSc in Human Resource Management (1993)
• PGCE in Educational Development (1994)
• Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (FCIPD, 2005)

Research Interests: Dr. Forster’s research focuses on international/cross-cultural management (particularly Islamic values in Moroccan management practices) and pedagogical innovations for postgraduate students. She explores employability support systems, virtual learning environments, and cultural barriers in education. Her work emphasizes practical interventions to bridge educational and professional gaps.

Key Contributions: She has supervised doctoral research on employability and entrepreneurial education and reviewed for journals like the International Journal of Human Resource Management. Her publications address employability frameworks, student well-being in virtual settings, and cross-cultural management challenges.

Labs/Teams: Involved in interdisciplinary teams within Newcastle Business School focusing on employability and international education. Leads validation panels for academic programs and accreditation processes.