As a historian broadcaster and film maker Michael has brought history alive for viewers and readers in Britain, the US and worldwide. He is the author of several highly praised and best-selling books on English history including number one best sellers In Search of the Dark Ages and Domesday, and also The Story of England. Michael’s interest in China began at school with AC Graham’s Poetry of the Late T’ang, was extended at Oxford where he shared a house with a Sinologist and continued with visits to China from the early eighties, first filming there in the late eighties. Since 2013 he has made a dozen visits making films, above all for the six-part Story of China which set out to give the general viewer an introduction to the grand sweep and creative riches of Chinese history. Michael has been President of SACU since January 2020.
Chris was formally elected to the Council at the September 2023 AGM. Chris was able to demonstrate to the Council extensive experience in leading education organisations in both China and the UK and that he has an approach which focuses on inclusion and building consensus. Based in Beijing, Chris not only has a deep understanding of China but experience in bridging the gap between China and the West. This is best illustrated in his role as Head Teacher for a Beijing based school that supports Chinese students to secure university places in the UK and other English-speaking countries. Prior to this, Chris was the Head Teacher at several state schools in areas of London with comparatively high levels of inequality.
Chris invites you to read his Chair’s Blog which will be regularly updated in our Articles page.
Dr Cheryl Yu has over 17+ years of experience in international education at different universities in the UK. She has a proven track record of developing and implementing effective internationalisation strategies for attracting and retaining international students and developing and delivering Transnational Education with stakeholders from different countries and regions, including two joint institutes in China.
In 2023, Cheryl set up a consultancy company – Connected International Education, focusing on bridging the institutional collaborations between the UK and China.
As a researcher, Cheryl has published extensively on the internationalisation of higher education, from the international student experience to the internationalisation of the curriculum to cultural intelligence. Her recently published book titled “Critical Reflection on the Internationalisation of Higher Education in the Global South.”
Barnaby Powell has been involved in private sector development in the Chinese world for over 40 years, living in Asia for 20 of these. With Alex Mackinnon he has written China Calling, China Counting and 2018 – China goes Critical. He speaks to schools, universities and business groups on ‘The Meaning of China’ and the importance of understanding Chinese culture.
丘 靜雯 Iris Yau FRSA FHEA, an Educator and Curator, a Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA); a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy UK (Advance HE).
Iris has a Master’s degree in Academic Practice in Art, Design and Communication. Prior to teaching in higher education, Iris was in Global Fashion Buying, Sourcing and Range Building, she has worked with high-end international fashion houses including Yves Saint Laurent, and Burberry...
Iris champions equality, diversity, inclusion, and practice-based social justice. She has written, curated and produced exhibitions including an autoethnography inspired Iris’s Silk Route at University of the Arts London; and Opium, Silk and the Missionaries in China at the Brunei Gallery, SOAS University of London, the exhibition is due to go on a nationwide tour and beyond