Mike Bateman has been a governor for the College for ten years, and he has spoken about his role within the College and how his highlight is ‘supporting HSDC in the quest for high-quality provision’.
His role as Chair of the Board involves agreeing the strategic direction of the College, whilst ensuring its financial solvency.
Speaking about his journey to becoming a Governor, Mike said: “I’ve always been interested in education in general, having spent my career in Higher Education.
“Initially in that career, at the University of Portsmouth, I was a teacher and researcher in the Department of Geography before spending nearly twenty years in senior management roles.
“My responsibilities in the senior management team included the overall direction of the development of the University’s estate and IT services, as well as support services such as the University’s International Office and HR.
“When I retired from the university, I was appointed to a ministerial position, chairing the committee of local politicians and experts which determines the expenditure on flood prevention and coastal erosion protection schemes across the South of England.”
But being a governor isn’t the only thing Mike gets up to. Mike added: “I am involved in the development of the neighbourhood plan for Emsworth which, if approved by the local community, will become part of the statutory planning framework for the town.
“I enjoy some travelling, though much of that seems to be spent on the M1, since my two sons and their families live in Yorkshire, one in Sheffield and the other near Pickering in North Yorkshire.
“I also attend an Italian class every week, trying to lift my standard of the language so I can do more than understand the restaurant menu – work still in progress!”
Mike said that the highlight of his role at HSDC is ‘meeting staff and students’ whilst ‘making a difference and supporting the College in its quest for really high-quality provision.”