New appointments to drive Exeter’s first-class service to students

Both positions are in the University’s Academic Services division, reporting to its Director, Michele Shoebridge.

Paul Blackmore was previously Director of the Centre for Employability, Enterprise and Careers at Lancaster University. His management of the University’s careers and employability service saw Lancaster move from the bottom of the league tables to first in the North of England for employability of graduates. He has written several books, academic papers and given a number of conference presentations on the subject of graduate employment.

Simon Wright joins from Swansea University, where he has been Director of Student Services for six years and currently manages a 125-strong team. He is also Chair of AMOSSHE, the UK Student Services Organisation. He previously worked for Universities UK, Higher Education Wales and Mencap and worked for Cardiff University Students Union after completing his degree. He will join the University of Exeter in July 2010 and will be responsible for overseeing welfare support, registry services, admissions and student recruitment.

Michele Shoebridge, Director of Academic Services at the University of Exeter said: “We are delighted to welcome Simon Wright and Paul Blackmore to the University of Exeter. They are leaders in their fields and will bring a wealth of skills and expertise to the team here. The University of Exeter has an excellent track record for its services to students and is ranked fourth in the UK for student satisfaction in the latest National Student Survey amongst full service universities. These new posts will help us continue to offer a first-class student experience.”