Role
Professor Sara Owen took up the post of Executive Dean, School of Social Sciences in August 2020. As Executive Dean, Professor Sara Owen is responsible for:
- Providing academic leadership to the School of Social Sciences.
- Delivering the School Academic Plan aligned to the University’s Strategy.
- Leading on a range of School-specific and cross-University strategic initiatives.
- Playing a role in the corporate leadership of NTU through active membership of the University Executive Team.
Career overview
Prior to joining NTU, Sara was Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic) at the University of South Wales. She previously held various roles at the University of Lincoln (Pro Vice Chancellor and Head of the College of Social Sciences, Dean, Professor) and the University of Nottingham (Reader, Senior Lecturer, Lecturer). Sara originally trained as a general nurse at Guy’s Hospital, London and as a mental health nurse at the Royal Bethlem and Maudsley Hospitals. She was a Senior Charge Nurse on an acute psychiatric unit before moving into education.
Sara’s PhD was a pluralist evaluation of services for women with long-term mental health problems, awarded by the Division on Psychiatry at the University of Nottingham. Sara’s research has focused on women, gender, mental health, social care and health workforce, and evaluations of education and training.
External activity
Sara has served on various working groups and committees. These include: Board member of National Centre for Rural Health and Care, member of DoH Mental Health Care Workforce Team, Deputy Chair Mental Health Nurse Academics UK, elected member East Midlands Local Education and Training Board, and Stakeholder Governor Lincolnshire Partnership Trust. She is currently the NTU representative on the Mansfield Health Partnership Strategic Group.