معرفی
Professor Stephen Leech is Head of Academic Transitions at Durham University’s Durham Centre for Academic Development (DCAD), overseeing the Foundation Programme and Graduate Teaching Assistant Training Fellowship. He also serves as Chair of the Board of Studies in the Foundation Centre and a Research Student in the School of Education. His career began as an adult learner through Durham’s Foundation Programme, leading to over two decades in higher education focused on widening access and social mobility. Dr. Leech specializes in Transitional Education, Fair Access, and strategies to support under-represented groups, including mature, non-traditional, and international learners. He has designed academic pathways and modules to facilitate student success in undergraduate studies and previously managed recruitment, admissions, and marketing for Foundation Programmes.
His research interests center on Foundation Year models, educational equity, and student transition strategies. Notable contributions include co-authoring chapters on Foundation Year provision and presenting on flipped learning, admissions toolkits, and policy analysis. He chairs the UK’s Foundation Year Network, a national practitioner group, and previously served on the Advance Learning Partnership Trust’s leadership. His early career included clinical research on infant sleep safety, reflected in publications on bed-sharing risks and neonatal care.
