Staff Profile

A headshot of academic Uchenna Nweke

Dr Uchenna Nweke

Biography

Before joining Buckinghamshire New University in January 2022, I had a background in teaching and the charity sector. My teaching experience includes five years as a lecturer in the Business School of Abia State University Nigeria, where I obtained my MBA, and two years as a HE lecturer in Business at Langley College, UK. I hold a PhD in Business and Management from Staffordshire University and I am a Certified Management and Business Educator. I am also a Fellow of Advance HE, and a member of both the British Academy of Management and the Chartered Management Institute. In December 2024, I was appointed an academic adviser to the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission.

My charity sector experience spans over 20 years as a senior leader in the Independent Church Sector (ICS) in both Denmark and the UK. Since 2014, I have been conducting management reviews in the sector, and my PhD programme was sparked by interest in the organisational performance and accountability of ICS entities. Specialist knowledge gained from the study led to the establishment of the Church Sector Management Solutions Project (CSMSP). CSMSP supports stakeholders in the church community through knowledge transfer, trainings, and engagement in collaborative studies. My publications include the book Attain, Retain & Train an educational and inspirational resource geared towards supporting individuals and organisations in the church sector to thrive and achieve lasting accomplishments.

Academic career highlights include collaborating with colleagues from across the UK HE Sector in the design and implementation of culturally responsive learning environments, particularly at the graduate level. In 2022, I co-authored a GuildHE report on understanding the lived experience of students from ethnic minority backgrounds in postgraduate research. The report, as well as being well-received in the HE Sector, provided an opportunity to lead a presentation at the UK Council for Graduate Education (UKCGE) Annual Conference 2022. This was followed by a workshop presentation on belonging in postgraduate research organised by UKCGE in 2023.

More recent research activities include my involvement in the Locally Driven Sustainable Airport Surface Access Solutions for Buckinghamshire Project. The project which commenced in January 2024 seeks to generate granular data to support the implementation

of more sustainable travel options from the ceremonial county of Buckinghamshire in England to surrounding airports. Key stakeholders are London Heathrow Airport, London Luton Airport and Buckinghamshire Council. The project is ongoing.