The SLIM Team

The Skills and Learning Intelligence Module is managed by the Marchmont Observatory, at the University of Exeter.

Brief biographies of each member of the team are available below.

If you are coming to visit our office view the map and directions online.

Chris is Director of the Marchmont Observatory, established at Exeter University in 1998, with responsibility for overall strategic developments and the oversight and commissioning of research. Chris has 15 years experience working at the national level on learning, skills employment and economic regeneration issues. She has eight years experience of managing European programmes promoting skills, learning and employment and has assessed and evaluated a large range of projects.

Email: chris.evans@exeter.ac.uk

Ben Neild is Assistant Director of the Marchmont Observatory and manages the development of SLIM.

Ben has been working in the field of workforce development and lifelong learning since 1991 and is also an experienced project developer and manager. He has experience within the private sector and as a provider of training.

Email: B.Neild@exeter.ac.uk

Andrew Dean is the Co-ordinator for Marchmont / SLIM. His responsibilities include:
• virtual communications, through networks, discussions and on-line conferencing
• dissemination, including design and production of materials, presentations, writing/producing electronic newsletters
• the management of events and conferences

Andy is an experienced events manager. He also has nearly 10 years experience in managing research projects. He has experience managing sub-contractors and multi-partner projects and acted as an internal auditor for ISO 9001. He has gained useful experience in the use of complex ICT systems for data analysis and the design and management of web-sites.

Email: A.Dean@exeter.ac.uk

Jo Pye has worked for over 25 years with public and private sector research organisations. For Marchmont, Jo designs and leads regional and national evaluations of the impact of learning on adult learners, trainers and small businesses. For SLIM Jo plays a major role in learning themes, for which she analyses national and regional evidence to inform regional policy development. Within the team she specialises in migrant workers, functional skills, tutor training and technology based learning. Jo has recently completed an impact analysis of the Objective One European Social Fund in Cornwall and has developed regional evaluation guidelines for the Learning and Skills Council's ESF projects.

Email: J.Pye@exeter.ac.uk

Jo Cursley is involved in action research with Marchmont Observatory.  She has a particular interest in developing ways in which adults can be encouraged to upskill sufficiently to get back into employment, and has worked on ways of encouraging employability skills through the Arts. She is also involved in piloting a Learner Support Award,  developed through the School of Education by Dr Morgan, .across several schools and colleges. Her considerable experience in Further Education both at Senior Management Level and working closely with students and before that, in schools, with hard to reach students has informed her present work.

At present she is continuing work with the Learner Support Award and working at a pilot in a prison researching the use of music in developing learners' employability and personal effectiveness skills. 

Email: J.M.Cursley@exeter.ac.uk

Kevin has a background in scientific and technological project management and event organisation. He is an experienced network administrator, managing and developing materials for the web, including research, networks, researchers, and Learning Themes and is responsible for the maintenance of both SLIM's and Marchmont's dynamic database driven websites. Kevin is competent in a range of computer programmes, including Microsoft Office, Access, Dreamweaver (including CSS and ASP), and SPSS.

Kevin joined SLIM in 2006 to assist in administering ESF projects and now maintains the SLIM web presence and provides research and IT support for the team.

Email: Kevin.Aggett@exeter.ac.uk

Katie Kelsey is Research Officer and has been working with Marchmont since November 2004. She works mainly on European projects, carrying out primary and secondary research, coordinating the project activity and developing the partnerships. Katie has been working in regional development since 1997. She was a researcher in the strategy team at the West Midlands Regional Development Agency for 5 years. Katie first worked as a researcher in 1981 and has carried out a wide variety of environmental projects prior to her work in regional development.

Email: K.L.Kelsey@exeter.ac.uk

Hilary specialises in programme evaluation, strategy development and policy research and is SLIM's lead researcher on age and employability issues. Current projects include an examination of economic disadvantage in the South West ("Moving to Inclusion"), providing best practice research and programme evaluation for the ESF ITM "Ageless at Work" project and contributing to a European project on "Flexicurity". She also provides research support to the ESP Age Management Standing Group and the European Equality Monitoring Group, contributes to SLIM publications and events and responds to helpdesk queries. Hilary joined SLIM in 2006 to lead the research and evaluation function on the SWOOP EQUAL project following previous research and evaluation roles at the South West Observatory Core Unit, Prism Research Ltd and Somerset Training and Enterprise Council.

Email: H.J.Stevens@exeter.ac.uk

Lee has a background in the field of Accountancy havinig spent most of his time working between a number small/medium sized Accountancy practices. Lee also spent a brief spell within Industry. At present Lee works as a part time finance officer for an Exeter charity.

Lee joined the team in May 2008, working part time with his main role being the preparation of all the necessary grant claims to the external funders.

Email: L.D.Bingham@exeter.ac.uk

Hilary has a background in administration, banking and personnel and training. She currently has responsibility for management of the office and assists in the financial running of the team. She also organises the workshops and finalises reports and publications prior to printing. She is competent in a range of software packages including Microsoft Office and Access.

Email: M.H.Todd@exeter.ac.uk

SLIM (Skills and Learning Intelligence Module)
The Marchmont Observatory
University of Exeter
St Luke's Campus
Holnicote Annex
Heavitree Road
Exeter EX1 2LU

Tel: 01392 724850
Fax: 01392 724966
Email: m.h.todd@exeter.ac.uk