Adult Learners' Week. 17-23 May 2008.

• East Midlands
• East of England
• London
• North East
• North West
• South East
• South West
• Yorkshire & The Humber
• West Midlands

Main contact: Pat Whaley

As a Regional Agent, Pat Whaley represents NIACE in the North Eastern region, liaising with strategic bodies and a range of organisations including learning and skills providers, keeping them informed about developments in policy and practice concerning adult learning, supporting the sharing of good practice and encouraging the implementation of NIACE, national programmes in the region.

Pat has worked in a number of universities in the field of adult, continuing and community education, most recently as director for Lifelong Learning and Community Studies at the University of Durham. Her career has been characterised by cross-sectoral, collaborative and developmental ways of working and membership of a number of key local, regional and national committees and working parties.

Currently these include:

• Universities Association for Continuing Education (UACE) : Council; Women and Continuing Education Professional Network (chair); Research sub committee and Strategic Planning, Funding and External Relations sub committee.
• Forum for the Advancement of Continuing Education (FACE): Executive.
• Workers' Educational Association (WEA) Northern District: Vice president
• The Regional Open College Network (TROCN): Quality committee.
• Learning and Skills Council Tees Valley: Council; Equal.
• Opportunities working party; Audit committee.

Pat has been actively involved with Adult Learners' Week in North East England since 1994. She has undertaken a variety of consultancy, both as part of roles within HE and, since February 2001, on an independent freelance basis. Pat acts as an external examiner, advisor, and moderator for programmes at different levels: Open College Network (OCN), undergraduate and postgraduate.

She has researched and published quite extensively on issues of access, curriculum development, widening participation and women's education, and, as a historian, on women's history and community history. Some of her research has been televised.

To contact Pat email patricia.whaley@niace.org.uk