I’m Paula Sussex and I’m the CEO of the Student Loans Company. I’ve been in the role for under a year so I think I still get to say I’m the relatively new CEO of SLC.

One of my very first acts as CEO was to appear before the Education Select Committee at an accountability hearing in October last year. I’d only been in the role about three weeks at the time.

It was a wide-ranging session that covered a lot of ground – perhaps some of you watched it.

One of the things that has really stuck in my mind from that session was a debate about the SLC’s use of the word ‘customers.’

At the SLC, we use the term customers to refer to applicants, students, sponsors & repayers.

A couple of members of the Committee challenged me on that. They made the case that as there isn’t a ready market in student finance providers – as students in the UK don’t have a choice of providers they can go to for their HE and FE funding – that for the SLC to refer to them as ‘customers’ simply wasn’t right.

And while I agree with them that it isn’t an ordinary customer-client relationship that we have, I made the point that I think it’s healthy for public servants to focus on customer service and, therefore, the concept of having a customer to whom good customer service is owed. So I was very pleased when I saw the topic of this panel, because I think it’s an important discussion. We’ll no doubt hear a lot today about the relationship between students and universities. I want to also make the point that the SLC firmly considers students to be our customers and we’re determined to improve the customer service we provide to them.

In the next academic year, the SLC will turn 30. And we’re just about unrecognisable from the organisation that was set up nearly 30 years ago:

• We’ve gone from offering just one maintenance loan product to all UK students to over 86 variants of loan and grant products

• From fewer than 100 staff to over 3,500

• From just 180,000 customers to over 8.5 million

• We now manage a student loan book valued at over £136.7 billion

The SLC’s mission is to enable its customers to invest in their futures through access to higher and further education. This expansion in the student finance system over recent years has enabled more customers from more walks of life to make this investment in their futures – which is both good for them and good for the UK.

But there is no doubt that its expansion has also added significant complexity to the operations of the Student Loans Company.

A 2015 McKinsey Report commissioned by the then Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS), noted that “SLC already has comparable size and complexity to a small retail bank” and we have only continued to grow since then.

Despite this rapid growth and complexity, we have also made some significant performance improvements over the same period:

• In 2018-19, our customer satisfaction (apply-to-pay) was 84.1% up from 78.9% in 2011-12
• We received just 2.5 complaints per 10,000 apply-to-pay customers (applicants and students)
• And just 0.8 complaints per 10,000 repayment customers

These are good results for our customers – but we know we can and must do better. The SLC has made some significant improvements to our customer service over recent years. Over the last two years alone we’ve introduced:

• online password reset – so that customers no longer have to call us to reset passwords if and when they forget them;
• electronic signatures – so that customers can sign their applications online and no longer have to print, sign and post their applications to us;
• online evidence upload for overseas customers – so they no longer have to post us evidence from overseas, which we know is timely and expensive;
• More Frequent Data Sharing with HMRC – so that when customers are in repayment, HRMC tells us on a weekly basis what they have repaid, meaning we can provide customers with much more up-to-date loan balances. (Until this year HMRC only gave us this information on an annual basis.)
• Introduction of social media direct messaging – In December 2017 we became one of the first government entities in the UK to introduce full customer service by Facebook and Twitter direct messaging. Meaning we’re engaging with our customers where they are.
• All of the new services we develop and make available are 100% tested by students to assess usability and to explore opportunities for future development.
• Notwithstanding these important developments, it should also be recognised that we only assess customer calls on the quality of service and content provided.

But we know our service still doesn’t always meet the needs or expectations of our predominately digitally-native customers. There is more we can do and more we must do. A priority for me as CEO is to ensure that we’re listening directly to our customers to find out what they want from SLC. I’m therefore implementing a series of SLC ‘surgeries’ where SLC will come to a university to hear directly from its staff and students about what the SLC can be doing better. This initiative, alongside others I have outlined, will help to ensure that we remain focussed on providing good customer service to students, graduates and all of our stakeholders across the UK.

Thank you

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Tim Davie

The Prime Minister has reappointed Tim Davie as a Trustee of the Tate for four years from 5 October 2019.

In October 2012, Tim Davie was appointed Chief Executive of BBC Worldwide and took up his post in April 2013. In April 2018, BBC Worldwide merged with the BBC’s production arm to form BBC Studios. He was made Acting BBC Director-General on 10 November 2012. Prior to this he was Director of BBC Audio and Music from September 2008 where he had overall responsibility for the BBC’s national radio services including Radios 1, 2, 3, 4 and its digital services as well as music output and performing groups.

Previously, Davie was Director of the BBC’s Marketing, Communications and Audiences division from April 2005 and before that Vice President, Marketing and Franchise, PepsiCo Europe. In April, 2017 Tim was appointed to the new BBC Executive Board.

Davie read English at Cambridge University and from there joined Procter and Gamble. He is the Chairman of Comic Relief, Trustee of the Tate and Trustee of the Royal Television Society and Chairman of the Creative Industries Council. Tim Davie was appointed CBE in 2018 for services to International Trade.

This role is not remunerated. This reappointment has been made in accordance with the Cabinet Office’s Governance Code on Public Appointments. The process is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. The Government’s Governance Code requires that any significant political activity undertaken by an appointee in the last five years is declared. This is defined as including holding office, public speaking, making a recordable donation or candidature for election. Tim Davie has made no such declarations.

Farooq Chaudhry

The Prime Minister has appointed Farooq Chaudhry as the Artist Trustee of the Tate for four years from 29 July 2019.

Former dancer Farooq Chaudhry, co-founder and Producer of Akram Khan Company, plays a key role in forming innovative business models to support Akram Khan’s artistic ambitions as well as offering creative support during the development of Khan’s projects.

Chaudhry is a witness of the School for Social Entrepreneurs and on the advisory board of Global Future. The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs acknowledged him in a list of the world’s top hundred cultural actors and entrepreneurs in 2008. In addition to his work for Akram Khan Company, Chaudhry is also International Creative Producer for China’s national dance icon Yang Liping since 2016 and was Producer for English National Ballet 2013-2017.

Chaudhry was awarded an honorary doctorate from De Montfort University for his services to dance in 2014. In 2018 Chaudhry became the Course consultant for the new MA Dance Producing and Management at London Studio Centre.

In Sept 2018 Chaudhry became the Co-Artistic Director of PECDA (Prakriti Excellence in Contemporary Dance Awards) in India. In 2019, Chaudhry was awarded an OBE for his services to Dance and Dance Production.

This role is not remunerated. This appointment has been made in accordance with the Cabinet Office’s Governance Code on Public Appointments. The process is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. The Government’s Governance Code requires that any significant political activity undertaken by an appointee in the last five years is declared. This is defined as including holding office, public speaking, making a recordable donation or candidature for election. Farooq Chaudhry has made no such declarations.

Sarah Jenkins is CMO of Grey London, one of the UK’s largest advertising agencies and also one of the most awarded across the last decade.

Previously Head of Account Management, she has been responsible for some of the agency’s flagship accounts including the British Heart Foundation and across her advertising career driven marketing activity for organisations as diverse as Mars, GSK, P&G and the Home Office

A champion of creativity, in particular within schools, Sarah is also the co-founder of the Advertising Diversity Taskforce (ADT); a collective of the UK’s most progressive advertising and media agencies. The ADT work together to create legacy initiatives to make advertising and marketing a more accessible place for people from diverse backgrounds and to drive greater diversity within campaigns too.

Sarah is a regular speaker, news commentator and industry panelist. She has been recognised with numerous accolades including a Fellowship from the IPA.

This role is not remunerated. This appointment has been made in accordance with the Cabinet Office’s Governance Code on Public Appointments. The process is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. The Government’s Governance Code requires that any significant political activity undertaken by an appointee in the last five years is declared. This is defined as including holding office, public speaking, making a recordable donation or candidature for election. Sarah has declared that she leafleted for her local Labour party (Tooting constituency) in 2016 and 2017.

Applications for Chevening Scholarships to study in the UK are open between 5 August and 5 November 2019, with applications to be submitted via chevening.org/apply.

Chevening Scholarships are awarded to individuals with demonstrable leadership potential who also have strong academic backgrounds. The scholarship offers full financial support for future leaders to study for any eligible master’s degree at any UK university whilst also gaining access to a wide range of exclusive academic, professional, and cultural experiences.

Since the programme was created in 1983, over 50,000 outstanding professionals have had the opportunity to develop in the UK through Chevening. There are more than 1,500 scholarships on offer globally for the 2020/2021 academic year, demonstrating the UK’s ongoing commitment towards developing the leaders of tomorrow.

Head of Scholarships at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Ben Coates, said:

Chevening represents the very best of the UK, welcoming exceptional people from across the world to study, grow, and thrive at some of the world’s best universities. Chevening can be a transformative experience, not just for the scholars, but for their communities and countries as they return and use the benefit of their UK experience to make a positive difference in their chosen field.

Our universities promote the creation and exchange of information and ideas, as well as the building of knowledge and networks. Chevening Scholars find themselves immersed in that world, and leave the UK after their studies having grown academically, professionally, and personally as a result.

Since the programme started in 1983, many of those selected for this scholarship have gone on to become respected leaders across a range of sectors. Being a part of the Chevening network instils a strong sense of pride and responsibility, I have seen this first hand and am consistently impressed by the passion and commitment of the scholars and alumni I meet.

With our world facing countless challenges, the role that the Chevening community plays in building bridges and collaborating across borders to solve big issues is more important than ever.

Chevening’s Head of Programme Management, Louise Thomson, said:

Chevening puts you in control of your experience. You can choose from over 12,000 master’s courses at over 150 different higher education institutions. UK institutions consistently rank highly in global university rankings, so be prepared for an academically challenging and fulfilling experience.

We organise an exclusive programme of events and activities, enabling you to experience Britain’s heritage and history, discuss international policy, and interact with thought leaders at a range of academic, cultural, and social events.

Recently, scholars have visited the UK prime minister’s residence at 10 Downing Street, hiked up Mount Snowdon in Wales, exhibited art in London galleries, interned at the BBC, volunteered with the elderly, debated current affairs at the Cambridge Union, and sat in the home dressing room at Anfield. Some have even visited the locations where scenes from ‘Game of Thrones’ was shot. All this whilst studying on an intense master’s course.

Chevening doesn’t just open doors, it opens your mind. You will learn so much simply by interacting with people from all over the world, travelling around the UK in your spare time, and getting involved in the communities you live in. Those who get the most out of the experience are the ones who put the most into it.

With so much to learn and achieve, a year goes by faster than you can imagine. But your time in the UK is only the beginning of a life-long journey as a part of an international community of changemakers. Our hope is that you will leave the UK inspired, motivated, and better equipped to bring your own ideas to life.

Her Majesty’s Ambassador, Daniel Pruce, to the Philippines said:

We are looking for ambitious, professional, and innovative future leaders from any walk of life, who will study hard in the UK, and be open to immersing themselves in the opportunities that arise.

Chevening Scholars are incredibly diverse, so there is no such thing as a ‘typical’ scholar. That said, if you have demonstrable leadership qualities and you have a clear vision for the future you want to help shape, you are very likely to fit in with our community of over 50,000 alumni worldwide.

Our alumni network is full of dynamic influencers who have shared the same experience that you will. They can offer encouragement, mentorship, advice, and contacts. When you return home after your studies you should feel well-equipped to start making a real difference.

There is a lot to potentially gain from submitting a thoughtful application, so if you have what it takes to be a Chevening Scholar, I would encourage you to apply before the 5 November deadline.

The call for new applicants follows the selection of 29 scholars from The Philippines, who won an award to study at a UK university this year. Successful applicants have been sharing their stories through the #ChosenForChevening hashtag on Twitter and Instagram.

More information

Visit Chevening for detailed information on the eligibility criteria and scholarship specifications.

Contact

Cara San Pedro Cara.SanPedro@fco.gov.uk