Summary
In September 2017, Laura took up post as Head of Strategy and Operations at the Graduate School, Imperial College London. She is responsible for leading the strategic development of the School and all professional, technical and procedural operations. She also leads a number of College-wide projects related to postgraduate education and practice. Laura is also a qualified coach and coaches staff as part of the Imperial College Coaching Academy. She also leads the postgraduate coaching programme for students at the College. In 2017 the Graduate School was awarded a Guardian University Award for the project, Researching Well Together which amongst other things, recognised the need for coaching to support students at Imperial.
Laura has previously Chaired the UK Council for Graduate Education's Graduate School Managers' Network and is a current member of the Council's Working Party for Postgraduate Wellbeing.
Laura is also a qualified workplace mediator and supports the College's staff mediation programme. She has also worked with HR and Organisational Development to implement a Research Degree Mediation Programme to support students and supervisors experiencing difficulties with their partnership.
In 2014, Laura was pleased to be nominated and accepted onto the Meridian Leaders Programme, part of the College's talent development opportunities and in 2015, she was awarded the President's Medal for Excellence in Support of the Student Experience. In 2017, she completed an MA in Leadership.
Research
- Lane, L, Kalawsky, K., Sinclair, V., Mellick, M. (2020). Mental Health and Wellbeing of PGRs Pinch Points and Good Practice. A timeline of challenges to candidates’ wellbeing & good practice initiatives. UK Council for Graduate Education Wellbeing Group.
- Lane, L., Ritchie, B. and De Wilde. (2019). Students as Partners, presentation, UK CGE Annual Conference, Manchester, UK.
- Lane, L. and Ritchie, B. (2019). Developing Student-Led Communities, UK CGE Annual Conference, Manchester, UK, poster.
- Lane, L. and De Wilde, J. (2018). The impact of coaching doctoral students at a university in London, International Journal of Evidence Based Coaching and Mentoring, Vol. 16 (2), pp 55-68, DOI: 10.24384/00056
- De Wilde, J.P., Lane, L., Forasacco, E., Bale, E., and Thomas, L. (2018) Gendered participation and interaction in postgraduate professional development in a STEM institution, presentation, UKCGE Annual Conference, Bristol, UK
- De Wilde, J.P. and Lane, L. (2018) Leadership Learning within Global STEM Postgraduate communities, HEA Annual Conference 2018 (STEM Stream), Aston University, Birmingham, UK
- De Wilde, J.P., Lane, L., Hargreaves C., Seldon P., Ahmed H., Forasacco E. and Cattane V. (2017) Enabling International, Interdisciplinary and Inter-sectoral Training in Doctoral Programmes, UKCGE Annual Conference, Porto, Portugal.
- De Wilde, J.P. and Lane, L. (2017) Ready, Steady, Change! Are we ready for quality improvement in our doctoral training? A Roundtable discussion paper, International Conference of Developments in Doctoral Education and Training, Stratford Upon Avon, UK
- Lane, L. and De Wilde, J.P. (2017) Developments in Supervisor Support and Continuing Professional Development, presentation, International Conference of Developments in Doctoral Education and Training, Stratford Upon Avon, UK
- De Wilde, J.P. and McConnell, L. (2016) Leading excellence in PG Professional Development, presentation, UKCGE Annual Conference, Liverpool
Previous Roles
Prior to this, Laura was Manager of the Graduate School where she worked closely with the Director and Deputy Directors of the Graduate School and the Head of Postgraduate Development to ensure that graduate students, both Master's and doctoral, received an innovative and effective programme of professional skills training.
In 2009, Laura joined Imperial College London as Assistant Registrar (Quality Assurance) . Her role was to ensure smooth operation of the College's quality assurance processes, for example internal and external review, appointment of external examiners and helping to prepare the College for institutional review. Whilst in this role, Laura also led the implementation of the College's first Key Information Set submission.
Prior to working at Imperial College, Laura has also held posts in student records, academic examination and course administration at the University of West London. She has also worked at the University of London.