Rate My Professor Fiona Hyland

Dr Fiona Hyland is the Deputy Director for TQEC Civic Engagement in the Global Engagement office at the University of Bristol. She earned her BSc in Experimental Psychology in 1992 and her PhD in Psychology in 1998, both from the University of Bristol. Her career at the university spans various roles focused on education, enterprise, and community partnerships. After completing her doctorate, she worked in academic support and research capacities, including as a research assistant at ESCalate, the Subject Centre for Education within the Graduate School of Education. Following a six-year career break to raise her children, she rejoined the University of Bristol as Senior Programme Manager for Enterprise and Engagement, where she developed innovative approaches to collaboration with external partners and contributed to initiatives at the Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus. In her current leadership position, she heads the civic engagement team, driving ambitious partnerships that aim to positively impact the city region and its communities through meetings, strategic planning, and report writing.

Hyland's research interests and contributions center on higher education internationalisation, student engagement, and public involvement in academic projects. At ESCalate, she finalised topic guides and questionnaires, conducted empirical data collection via focus groups, coded and analysed data, and drafted reports for the study 'A Changing World: The Internationalisation Experiences of Staff and Students (Home and International) in UK Higher Education' (2008), collaborating with colleagues from the Graduate School of Education. She co-authored 'Experiences and Perceptions of Internationalisation in Higher Education in the United Kingdom' with Sheila Trahar (2011, published in Higher Education Research & Development). Other notable publications include contributions to 'The Bristol Method: Green Capital: Student Capital – The Power of Student Co-creation' (2016) with Will Clayton and team, exploring student-led sustainability efforts during Bristol's European Green Capital year in partnership with the University of the West of England; and 'User Involvement in Digital Health: Working Together to Design Smart Home Health Technology' (2019) with Alison Burrows and others. She has also been involved in 'Bridging the Gap: A Case Study of a Partnership Approach to Skills Development' (2018). Her work supports civic engagement, equality, diversity, and community-led initiatives, enhancing the university's external impact.