Five minutes with Alex Hiller

Tell me about your role at the University?

I have responsibility for all of our postgraduate taught programmes and Executive Education work. This includes all of our full-time MScs, the MBAs, short courses and microcredentials for working professionals and the education work we do for our corporate clients.

What are your favourite tasks or areas of responsibility?

My highlights of the year are definitely seeing our postgraduate students receiving their degrees at the Graduation ceremonies and hearing about all the exciting things they go on to achieve in their careers. It is also really rewarding when we get external recognition for the work that we do. For example, this year we have been reaccredited by EQUIS and also achieved AMBA accreditation, meaning we are now a ‘Triple Crown’ accredited Business School. I also love anything which gets me out talking to our students or travelling to meet with prospective students.

What is your favourite place on campus and why?

Without question our new Belgrave Postgraduate Centre, where I am now based. It’s an amazing, modern facility with lots of flexible working space and social space, in addition to state-of-the-art teaching facilities. I love the sense of community in the building.

When you were growing up what did you want to be?

For many years I was absolutely convinced that I would be able to make a living playing the drums! However, when I graduated from my degree and became more aware of my limitations as a musician, I knew that I loved being in a university and wanted to develop my career in higher education.

What is your perfect weekend?

I think it would have to involve travelling somewhere I have never been before, ideally near the sea, with good weather, good food, good drink, and good company.

Who would be your dream dinner party guests?

They say you should never meet your heroes, so I’m slightly nervous about this one! However, I think I’d want a mix of activism, music, comedy and science, so maybe the activist and musician Kathleen Hanna, the comedian and travel guru Michael Palin and the biologist Merlin Sheldrake would be an interesting mix.

Do you have a favourite meal?

Variety is the spice of life, but I do love tapas or maybe some grilled sardines by the beach in the sunshine with a glass of vino verde.

Current favourite song, film, book, podcast?

Song – music is my main passion, so picking one is really hard! I’m looking forward to seeing the band The Hotelier soon for a rare appearance in the UK, and Spotify confirms they are my most listened to artist this month.

Book – recently I really liked (they are bleak, so ‘enjoyed’ may not be the correct word!) Douglas Stewart’s first two books, especially his first: ‘Shuggie Bain’. The business book I always recommend to my students to read is ‘Let My People Go Surfing’ by the CEO of Patagonia, Yvon Chouinard – a blueprint for business sustainability.

Podcast – I always find Adam Buxton a great conversationalist with interesting guests, and the NBS Business Leaders podcast, of course!

Have you made any holiday plans for 2024?

Holidays this year will be a combination of driving through Europe in my campervan with a couple of city breaks thrown in. The Pacific Islands via Japan or travelling through Central and South America will have to wait until 2025!