About us

Fiona Spence

Email: F.E.Spence@exeter.ac.uk | Fiona's profile:

Fiona Spence is the Assistant Director of Strategic Planning, leading a team of 15 planning officers, analysts and business partners. The Strategic Planning team support delivery of the Universities strategic goals, enable evidence-based decision making and support academic workload planning. Fiona has over 20 years’ experience working in higher education, predominantly in strategic planning but with experience in scientific research, student employability and department support roles bringing her a broad perspective on working in the HE environment. She is one of the Universities internal coaches supporting implementation of the University coaching strategy.

Andy Farquhar

Email: A.Farquhar@exeter.ac.uk | Andy's profile:

Andy is the Strategic Planning and Insights Partner for the Faculty of ESE. He leads the planning process for the faculty, liaising with departments and PS partners to produce the student number plans and ensure join up with the finance, research and workforce plans. Andy brings insight to the faculty, through reporting on performance across KPIs, league tables and other performance metrics, as well as horizon-scanning the external environment.

 

Magda Robertson

Email: m.robertson@exeter.ac.uk | Magda's profile:

Magda is the Strategic Planning Officer responsible for Academic Workload and Student Number Planning. 

Magda manages the Academic Workload Planning team, who support faculties planning and managing academic workloads.  The team works with academic departments to update and implement workload policies and with academic staff to update their workload records for TRAC. 

Magda is also the Student Number Planning lead, supporting the student number planning process, working with Anaplan, Business Technology Systems, and with the Strategic Insights and Planning Partners to deliver the student numbers for the financial forecast and the 5 year plan. 

Magda has been working at the University of Exeter for 5 years, and prior to that had a career in library and archive systems management working at the Royal Institute of International Affairs, University of Surrey, Camden Council, and the BBC. 

 

 

Karolina Galera

Email: K.Galera@exeter.ac.uk | Karolina's profile:

Karolina Galera is the Head of Planning and Performance Operations for Professional Services. 

She leads the operational delivery of the annual planning process, with oversight of student number planning, workload planning, performance reporting and Nous Cubane data collection, working closely with stakeholders to ensure timely, accurate, and coordinated delivery.

Karolina has over 10 years of experience working in higher education and has excelled in various areas including quality assurance and accreditation, business engagement, performance and KPIs. 

Karolina’s academic background is in science, holding both an Engineering and MSc degree in Geology. 

Susan Fallon

Email: S.Fallon2@exeter.ac.uk | Susan's profile:

Susan Fallon is the Strategic Planning and Insights Partner for the Faculty of HASS. Her role is to utilise performance information and horizon-scan the external environment to bring insight to the faculty’s strategic direction and ambitions.  Susan also leads the business planning process for the faculty, liaising with the faculty and professional services, with key responsibility for the student number plan.

Susan has been at Exeter for 10 years in strategic planning and in governance.  Prior to that she has work in Housing and in International Development in planning, reporting and governance.

Andy McDowall

Email: a.mcdowall@exeter.ac.uk | Andy's profile:

Andy McDowall is Head of the Enterprise Portfolio Management Office (EPMO) at the University, having joined in 2025. The EPMO was established that same year to support improvements in the way the University spends its Capital and Revenue funds with a focus on internal project and programme delivery. This includes developing consistent templates and processes, providing management information, supporting approvals, governance, and assurance processes, and improving risk and benefits management. The EPMO also supports the Strategic Investment Committee (SIC), the Digital & IT Strategic Delivery Group (DITSDG), and the Capital Management Group (CMG).

Before joining the University, Andy spent 16 years in the public sector, including roles at the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), with nine of those years focused on project and portfolio management.

Andy holds an MA in International Relations and in his spare time is an Army Reservist, commanding an Army Reserve tank squadron based in Exeter and supporting the University’s commitment to the Armed Forces Covenant.