Who we are
The joint Oxford and Cambridge Project Delivery Group (PDG)
The project is being delivered by a core Project Delivery Group (PDG) drawn from matched functions, academic and administrative, in both Oxford and Cambridge Universities. The role of the PDG is to maintain the strategic direction of the project and to ensure its implementation, in line with the project’s operational plan and in compliance with all funding rules.
The project is guided by an external Advisory Board, a joint Oxford and Cambridge Student Consulting Group, and an academic Project Reflective Group. We also work with a number of key partners and collaborators, including Blueprint for All, Careers Research and Advisory Centre (CRAC) and Rare. The project engages more widely with the Higher Education sector through a Sector Network.
Our Project Delivery Group
Professor Sara Baker
Sara is Professor of Developmental Psychology and Education at the University of Cambridge. She leads the doctoral programme at Cambridge's Faculty of Education, and is a Vice-Master of Darwin College (a postgraduate college). She is also Secretary to the Equity, Diversity and Inclusivity Working Group at Darwin College.
Professor David Gavaghan
David is Professor of Computational Biology at the University of Oxford. David's other roles within the University include acting as chair the Oxford University’s Graduate Access Working Group, and as Director of the Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences Division Graduate School. He also led the original Athena Swan award submission and its renewal for the Computer Science Department.
Dr Sonia Ilie
Sonia is an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Education at the University of Cambridge. Sonia researches inequalities in education, looking at the impact of deprivation on educational access and outcomes through the life course, and building evidence about effective interventions that address these inequalities.
Dr Kelsey Inouye
Kelsey is a Research Associate at the University of Oxford, Department of Education. Prior to her work at Oxford, Kelsey was a Senior Researcher at the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland. Her research areas include doctoral education, scholarly writing, and PhD career trajectories.
Margaret James
Margaret is the Graduate Access and Widening Participation Project Coordinator, University of Oxford.
Before moving to Oxford, Margaret was responsible for directing and managing a range of programmes and projects in the fields of integration, migration and equalities for the European Commission and for UK government.
Dr Mona Jebril
Dr Mona Jebril is an interdisciplinary social scientist focused on conflict-affected areas, and social justice. Mona completed her MSc in higher education and PhD in Education from the universities of Oxford and Cambridge. Previously, Mona worked as a teacher in public schools, and a lecturer at two universities in the Gaza Strip. Mona’s work has been featured prominently by several academic and media outlets. Currently, Mona works as a Research Associate at the Faculty of Education, and an Honorary Research Associate at the Centre for Business Research, University of Cambridge.
Nuala Murray
Nuala is a Postgraduate Widening Participation Manager Cambridge Admissions Office. Before starting work on the Close the Gap project, Nuala worked in undergraduate widening participation.
Dr Nadia Pollini
Nadia is Director of Graduate Admissions and Recruitment at the University of Oxford and has implemented several innovative graduate access and widening participation programmes including the UNIQ+ graduate research internship programme, which offers more than 100 places to students from underrepresented and disadvantaged backgrounds, and the pilot on selection procedures, which has introduced contextual flags in graduate admissions. Nadia has also helped to steer the Academic Futures programme which offers fully-funded scholarships to support underrepresented groups including Black Academic Futures, refugees and care leavers.
Dr James Robson
James is Associate Professor of Tertiary Education Systems, Co-Director of SKOPE (Centre for Skills, Knowledge, and Organisational Performance), and leads the MSc in Higher Education at the University of Oxford Department of Education. He is also a Co-Investigator on the ESRC Centre for Global Higher Education (CGHE). His research focuses on the political economy of tertiary education systems with a particular focus on research and innovation ecosystems, social and epistemic justice, and the intersection between education and training and the economy.
Partner Universities
