Ros has been involved with NEC since 1987 and describes working with the late Michael Young as both a pleasure and a privilege. Ros left school at 17 and was a second chance learner herself, returning to study anthropology at Cambridge University’s New Hall as a mature student. In 2002, she was chosen as one of five Britons to become an honorary fellow of the Commonwealth of Learning receiving the honour at an international awards ceremony in Durban, South Africa. In 1994 she received an honorary doctorate from the OU for services to distance learning.
Ros stepped down from NEC after 16 years as Executive Director in 2003 to follow her interests in international education. She returned to NEC in December 2011 to start the process of rebuilding the College following an unfortunate merger with the Learning and Skills Network. In 2014 she was named the Further Education Leader of the Year by the Times Educational Supplement and received an OBE for services to further education in the 2015 Queen’s Birthday Honours list. Ros has subsequently retired as CEO in April 2021 but has remained on the board of trustees.
