Dr Gai Murphy

Membership details: Independent Member

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Member of:
Board of Governors
Audit and Risk Committee

Gai studied Zoology at Queen’s University, Belfast and after graduating gained a PhD and PGCE from Manchester University.  She was appointed lecturer in Environmental Sciences at Salford University where she worked for 25 years.  Her roles included Associate Dean (Education) in the Faculty of Computing, Science and Engineering, Dean of Students and interim Pro Vice Chancellor (Education).  She was also a member of University Council.  She was awarded a personal chair in 2011. 

Gai moved to the University of Central Lancashire as PVC (Student Experience), leading on student retention, student voice and equality.  Following this she was appointed Head of Quality and Design at the Quality Assurance Agency, leading on QAA’s successful appointment as the Designated Quality Body (DQB) for Higher Education.  She led on the methodology for the Quality Standards gateway Review, which provided evidence to the OfS in their judgements about whether new providers met the initial conditions of registration.  She co-authored the final report on the revised HE quality code and its use across all four UK nations. 

Gai’s work also included revisions and updates to the degree classification descriptors and a review of grade inflation.  In 2019 she joined UNIAC as a senior auditor, leading on quality and standards reviews across their client base.  She retired in July 2022. 

Gai is married to Andrew and has a grown-up son, Thomas. In her spare time she enjoys knitting, sewing and gardening.