Ian Matthias is a highly experienced education consultant as well as a business, programme and change leader. He heads-up PA Consulting’s Global Education Practice and has 25 years’ experience of serving clients at national and institutional levels. Ian specialises in higher education and partners with 15 universities every year to design and deliver their mission-critical transformations. His work includes strategy development, student experience modernisation, operating model design, restructuring and digital transformation. Over the past five years he has led more change programmes across Russell Group institutions than anyone else in UK higher education.
Ian is a regular platform speaker and leads several communities of practice, including the Education Transformation Leader Network. He is also recognised for his thought leadership and co-authors PA’s annual survey of vice chancellors. Ian graduated from the University of Nottingham with a first in Industrial Economics.
- Every year I lead the development of PA’s annual survey of vice chancellors (copy attached – this is the 12th report). We interview 40 university leaders on the strategic challenges and opportunities facing the sector. The report is covered widely by trade and national press (UK universities ‘never faced greater threats’ | Times Higher Education (THE)).
- In January 2024 we launched an equivalent report for the Danish higher education sector. We will be taking the research into Ireland and the Netherlands for the next edition.
- Several articles published by Higher Education Policy Institute (e.g. Realising the Civic University - HEPI)
- Opinion letters published in the Financial Times (Letter: Universities could take lessons in efficiency (ft.com))
