Sarah Wolfenden

Role: Reader in Academic Development

Institution: Brunel University of London

Email: sarah.wolfenden@brunel.ac.uk

Sarah Wolfenden is a Reader in Academic Development who is currently researching coaching, compassion and wellbeing in UK universities.

In addition, she is an ILM performance coach; a Senior Fellow of Advance HE (SFHEA); recognised programme developer, mentor; a 500hr YAI accredited vinyasa, nidra and yin yoga teacher, and a chartered information professional.

She has over two decades of experience of working in UK Higher Education, college-based HE, and the Further Education sector.
She has won & been nominated for several awards. In 2023 she won the Ross Todd Award for Outstanding Research Project.
In 2024 she was nominated for the LILAC and Journal of Information Literacy Award.

She is a co-opted primary wellbeing school governor and Chair of its Teaching and Learning Committee.

Her research interests are in coaching, compassionate pedagogy, universities as caring organisations, academic identity, and wellbeing at work. These interests are aligned in her research as well as in the design, delivery and coordination of programmes for students, staff and for executive education courses. She has written about these topics in her column for The Academic Woman magazine.

When it’s not raining, you will most likely find her holding coaching or meetings outdoors. She’s a big believer in using natural surroundings to help clients become unstuck. Her style is calming, creative, thoughtful and encouraging. She is gently persistent in helping people make the (small and powerful) tweaks they wish for. A style she uses in her teaching, mentoring and writing retreats.

She is an accomplished trainer and national and international conference speaker. Engaging with an audience to share her knowledge, motivate and enable learning is something she is passionate about. Over the years, she has collaborated with CILIP, Internet Librarian International, University College London, London Information and Knowledge Exchange, CPD25, Information Literacy Group, Special Libraries Association, School Libraries Association, Tinder Foundation, Springboard, SEDA, Oxford Brookes, SRHE, and Advance HE.

Coaching, compassionate pedagogy, universities as caring organisations, academic identity, and wellbeing at work.

Performance Coach
Academic Professional Development
Information Literacy
Social Sciences Librarian
Higher Education in Further Education
Copyeditor, Digital Communications, London Information and Knowledge Exchange event and conference organiser, CILIP information literacy events