Overview

Vrinda is the Associate Dean for Taught Students (Racial Equality and Inclusion) for the University of Exeter and an academic at the College of Medicine and Health. She is part of the University`s Senior Education Leadership Team and supports the Success for All strand of the University’s Education Strategy that aims to widen the participation, eliminate degree awarding gaps and support diverse and inclusive learning environment (https://www.exeter.ac.uk/about/vision/successforall/). She provides strategic leadership through Success and Inclusive Education Working Group in identifying barriers to student success with a particular focus on students from disadvantaged backgrounds, ethnic minority and under-represented students at the University. The group is committed to improving their experiences through new educational interventions and policies, staff development, culture change and scholarship activities in this area. Currently, she leads on implementation of a new education initiative “Transformative Education at The University of Exeter” which is aimed at embedding the principles of Inclusive Education, Racial and Social justice and Sustainability in our education. She created Success for All Student Forum to engage in regular conversation with Student Guild and Student Union representatives from Exeter and Cornwall Campuses and student Equality Representatives. She is committed to enabling an effective support system for addressing any students` concerns related to discrimination, microaggression, safety and racism in our campuses. She is a member of various committees at the University that oversee the Access, Success and Progress of our student community.

Vrinda joined the College of Medicine and Health in 2013. She was educated in India and has a PhD in Radiation Biology. She worked as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Bristol during 2003 - 2010 and published her research work in Biomedical Sciences field in reputed scientific journals. She gained the Fellow Status of Advance HE in 2016 in recognition of her teaching and student support activities and she is an Exeter Education Incubator Fellow. Currently, she leads on the PBL provision for Year 1 and Year 2 of BMBS programme. As a module leader, she led on various modules for BSc Medical Sciences and BSc Medical Imaging (Diagnostic Radiography) programmes. She is an experienced educator with subject expertise in Physiology, Molecular Biology, Pharmacology, Biochemistry, Nutrition, Radiation Biology, Research Methods and Evidence Based Practice. She also provides research project supervision for students on Masters in Clinical Education programme. In addition, she initiated and established an effective support system at the Medical School for supporting ethnic minority students to raise any issues related to racism and racial discrimination and to seek timely support. She supported student experience through innovative projects such as Summer Work Placements, CMH Undergraduate Student Conference, Supporting Skill Audit and Employability through Academic Tutoring System and Student Pictures and Voices on the Walls of Buildings in St Luke`s Campus. She is part of the Steering Group that works on a British Council sponsored project on Decolonisng the Curriculum with Jadavpur University, India. She is keen to develop collaborations with international Higher Education Institutions with a particular focus on India on Transnational Educational projects.

Qualifications

PhD Radiation Biology, Manipal University, India, 2002

MSc Biosciences, Mangalore University, India

BSc Lifesciences, Mangalore University, India

Postgraduate Diploma in Academic Practice (PCAP) University of Exeter, 2015

Fellow of The Higher Education Academy, UK, 2016

Senior Fellow of Higher Education Academy, UK, 2022

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Teaching

Modules

2023/24

Information not currently available

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