Joanne Hooker has been in professional education for over 30 years and specifically in higher education for almost 20 years. She is passionate about supporting students to achieve their best outcomes and build career and life-enhancing CVs through education.  

As Associate Provost at RCL, Joanne works across our Schools and departments to develop policies and practices that will have a positive impact on both our staff and student communities. Joanne is working on projects to deliver training and resources that will enrich and enhance the teaching and learning experience at RCL.  

Joanne started her career working and living abroad, building up a business portfolio in the Czech Republic, where she ran a busy Prague-based language school. As well as honing her entrepreneurial and management acumen, this experience fuelled a lifelong interest in intercultural competence and cross-cultural management that feeds into her current working practice and research.  

Upon returning to the UK, Joanne joined Birmingham University and progressed to Deputy Director of Pre-Sessional Programmes.  

Prior to joining RCL, Joanne was Head of PG, Enterprise and Apprenticeships at Southampton Solent University, where she drew on her business background to enrich study programmes with robust and fruitful partnerships with local and national SMEs.  

Joanne also led the UK Government’s Help to Grow: Management programme, supporting small businesses to rebuild post-Covid, which was part of a suite of professional short courses that Joanne was responsible for. Joanne works part-time for RCL with a busy freelance portfolio.