Rachel Heeley

I graduated from Northampton University with a First-Class BA (Hons) Fashion Design in 2004. After gaining considerable press coverage at Graduate Fashion Week, I set up an eponymous fashion label which I sold in The Fashion & Textile Museum London, along with other boutiques and privately commissioned work. During this time, I also undertook visiting lecturing.

Later I moved on to freelance events management and worked on national “themed” events as well as prestige events such as the Grand Prix, Silverstone and Goodwood Festival of Speed. During this time in 2008, I completed a PGCE in post compulsory education. In 2009, I took up a full-time fashion and textiles lecturing post at Gray’s School of Art, RGU, Aberdeen. In this role, I was responsible for student placements, study trips, live projects, and Erasmus study abroad partnerships. I also ran a womenswear fashion label with a business partner called SynoymouS, to familiarise myself with current marketing strategies.

Building upon practical experience, I completed an MSc in Fashion Management with Distinction at Robert Gordon University in 2016. In 2017 I successfully wrote the BA Hons Fashion course at Staffordshire University and as per the University module size restructure I completed a rewrite in 2021. The course has been accredited by The Textile Institute in 2019 and awarded membership to Graduate Fashion Foundation (GFW) in 2021. I was awarded a Senior Fellowship for the Academy of Higher Education (SFHEA) in 2019 for my commitment to Higher Education and leadership in the sector. Following this I have mentored others to achieve their HEA status and sat on assessment panels.

I am currently the External Examiner for BA Fashion Design & BA Fashion & Fashion Business at University of Hertfordshire and International Fashion Business and Fashion Design with Business at Glasgow Caledonian University. With my experience of curriculum development and personal connection with dyslexia I am currently undertaking a PhD in Global Education at Coventry University with the working title: How can Higher Education courses (particularly creative courses) be designed to support learners with dyslexia effectively?

I am a strong believer in teamwork and in my role as head of department I am privileged to work with extremely talented and experienced academics and other stakeholders. I feel my role is to support the continuous development of my team, to enable us to offer an excellent student experience.

www.rachelheeley.com