Close
In this issue of the UCL Laws staff newsletter, find out more about Beth Beasant - the Director of Operations at UCL Faculty of Laws.
Beth Beasant, Director of Operations
Tell us about your role at UCL Laws and how long you’ve been in post.
I started in Laws and at UCL at the end of September, so everything is new to me and I am trying to learn as quickly as possible. I see my role as leading and developing the Professional Services team in Laws to provide the very best service to staff and students at UCL and to help develop the Faculty in its continued drive for excellence. I act as a conduit between the Faculty and Central Services to make sure that the Faculty gets everything it needs from UCL as a whole and is well represented centrally. It is also important to provide an academic and student voice to institutional projects and initiatives.
What’s top of your to do list?
Getting out and about and meeting people and getting to know the Faculty is vital at the start of any job – I am more than happy to meet with anyone who wants a chat. More practically we are working on a development plan for the Professional Services team that aligns with TOPS (sorry, I had to get it in somewhere) and allows the team to develop and flex to the ever changing needs of the Faculty and UCL. Getting a really good handle on the financial picture for the Faculty, UCL and the sector is also really important. External pressures in higher education are only going to grow so making sure we are in a position to be able to make good decisions based on sound finances and be flexible to support the brilliant work of the Faculty is essential.
What drew you to UCL Laws?
My family relocated to Oundle in Northamptonshire this summer so it gave me a really good chance to look at where I wanted to be and what I wanted to do. I wanted to stay in higher education and to return to a research intensive environment having spent the last 5 years in a teaching focused institution. UCL is such a dynamic and challenging environment and Laws has an outstanding reputation – why wouldn’t I want to come here?! It was also really important to me to work somewhere that embraced diversity and flexibility in the way it worked and supported staff to do their jobs, whatever their personal circumstances. UCL Laws seemed to embrace that philosophy which many places do not.
What do you enjoy most about your role?
The diversity and the challenge. Today I have meetings to discuss research grant processes, digital exam delivery, staff engagement plans, budgets and staff objective setting. How can you possibly get bored with that sort of variety. I love to work with people and build teams that can be truly excellent at what they do. UCL Laws is a fantastic place, but we can be better which is exciting and challenging in equal measure.
What are you most proud of in your career so far?
The diversity of the roles I have had and overcoming challenges that sometimes seemed insurmountable.
Within HE, I have worked in strategic planning, league table development, project management, an engineering and physical sciences faculty, and central and faculty student administration services. All were great, but all were different and it’s brilliant to be able to draw on those experiences when things are tough. Getting through major restructuring and staff changes has at times been very challenging, but I try always to remain positive and make sure my teams are okay – I am proud of the support I have been able to give them and hopefully in doing so I have made those experiences slightly more bearable for them.
What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
I have two small children, so I enjoy whatever I can fit in! As a family we are sport mad. I play netball and run and then spend the rest of the time throwing or kicking a ball about with the children or watching something that involves a ball or some form of competition. I love to cook (and importantly eat) so it’s important that I do some exercise wherever possible!