Meet the Faculty
Rachel Sandison
Rachel Sandison is Vice Principal, External Relations at the University of Glasgow. As a member of the University’s senior management team, Rachel's responsibilities include strategic leadership for domestic and international student recruitment; marketing, brand and reputation; undergraduate and postgraduate admissions; international affairs and partnership development; fundraising & alumni relations; and widening participation. She is also the University’s Refugee & Asylum Seeker Champion.
Rachel is a chartered marketer and a CASE Global Trustee. She is a member of the Universities Scotland International Committee and sits on a number of sector advisory boards. She is also the University of Glasgow’s senior leader for the Universitas 21 network, The Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities and the CIVIS European University Alliance.
Justin Cole
Justin Cole is the Executive Director of External Relations at Newcastle University and is responsible for the marketing, communications, recruitment and admissions functions of the University. Justin joined the University in 2021 and is a former Chair of the University Marketing Forum (UMF) and continues to serve on the European board of the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE). Prior to joining the University Justin worked in the civil service, principally as a communications adviser to successive higher education ministers and to the Paymaster General before more recently serving as a director at Sheffield Hallam and Bournemouth University. Canadian by birth and Australian by heritage, Justin is a graduate of Curtin University’s business school and holds a master’s degree from the University of Leeds.
Helen Pennack
I her role as chief marketing and communications officer, Helen Pennack, provides strategic marketing and communications leadership for the University and leads the External Relations department that comprises marketing, communications, student recruitment, global engagement, political affairs, the Institute for Policy and Engagement and Lakeside Arts.
Previous to that Helen was director of marketing and communications at the University of Warwick where she created the University’s first marketing function. Helen believes an approach that combines creativity and bravery with great audience insight is the key to the success of marketing, communications and engagement professionals.
Ed Layt
Ed has been working in Higher Education for over 16 years. Starting out at the University of Hertfordshire, he worked in a number of roles including Head of UK Recruitment and Head of Marketing.
Since joining SMRS 5 years ago, he’s delivered consultancy projects with over 65 universities across the UK and Europe, and now leads a team of 12 consultants and strategists with expertise in areas including marketing, data science, market research and creative.