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Sir Tim Wilson announced as Unite Foundation Chair – 8 November 2017

8 November 2017

Professor Sir Tim Wilson has today been named Chair of the Unite Foundation; the charitable trust that provides scholarships of free year-round student accommodation to young people in the UK from care or estranged backgrounds. The Unite Foundation is supported by the UK’s leading student accommodation provider, Unite Students.  

Sir Tim is the former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Herefordshire and a strong advocate of the central role of universities in economic and societal development. He takes the chair at a time when the Foundation is increasing its focus on employment-related activity to enhance the scheme and its value to scholarship students beyond entry into university.

Acknowledged as one of the leading thinkers in university-business collaboration, Sir Tim has both chaired and served on several national working parties on this subject. He acted as an adviser to the UK government on enterprise and entrepreneurship in universities, and undertook a fundamental review of business-university collaboration, which was published in February 2012.

Jenny Shaw, Head of Student Services and Insight at Unite Students and outgoing Chair, said of the appointment:

“We are so delighted to have Sir Tim as our new Chair.  In the short time he has been on the board he has brought energy and insight to our thinking.  I am confident that with his experience and knowledge he will lead the Unite Foundation through its next level of development, for the benefit of individual students and the sector as a whole.”

Sir Tim said of the Foundation:

“I have witnessed and experienced the crucial role parents have in supporting undergraduates – often not visible, but importantly, there at critical times. That’s why the work the Unite Foundation does is so vital – providing help to students who do not have that support network when they need it the most. I am excited about working with the small but mighty team at the Foundation as they continue to develop their fantastic role, working in partnership with universities to support these students.”

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