Biography 

Esther joined the RAU in early 2023 after spending most of her 25 year career in sector agencies in higher education and research.

Esther spent nine years as Head of International at Jisc, the UK agency for digital, data and technology for higher and further education where she led international activities, partnerships and developed an international strategy.

Dr Esther Wilkinson

Director of Innovation and Learning

Biography 

Dan Shaffer joined the RAU in March 2023 as Associate Director of Academic Services, before accepting the permanent Director and Academic Registrar role in July 2023. Dan oversees the professional Academic and Student Services teams to ensure students receive an effective and supportive experience in their studies. He manages the following areas: Academic Quality, Admissions, Enterprise and Employability, Registry, and Student Services.

Dan Shaffer

Director of Academic and Student Services and Academic Registrar

Biography 

Will joined the RAU in July 2024 as the Director of External Relations. In the role Will oversees the marketing, recruitment, communications, and development and alumni areas of the University.

Will Marsh

Director of External Relations

6 February 2025

Two young agriculture students, who may have struggled to get into the sector as they are not from an agricultural background, have had a helping hand from none other than The Cotswolds’ most famous farmer Kaleb Cooper (as seen on Prime Video’s Clarkson’s Farm)!

 

Prof Horton, Dr Christie (RAU) and Dr Ichumbaki (UDSM) will be joined by members of the Zanzibar Heritage Foundation led by Abdallah Khamis Ali, Kidu Hamad Ali from the Ministry of Tourism and Heritage, Zanzibar and three students from the University of Dar es Salaam: Neema Athuman, Steve Mfupe and Mashauri Lumbas. 

Dr Annalisa Christie

Senior Lecturer/Research Fellow

Cultural Heritage

PhD, University of York; MA African Archaeology, University College London;  BSc Archaeology, University College London

Biography 

Senior Lecturer/Research Fellow

 

Dr Christie is currently Co-I on the British Academy ODA Climate Change Challenge project ‘Giving Us Voice’: Curating community perspectives on the impact of climate change on marine resource exploitation in Pemba, Zanzibar and Mafia with Prof. Mark Horton and Dr Elgidius Ichumbaki (University of Dar es Salaam).

She teaches on our MSc in Cultural Heritage Management and MSc in Heritage and Archaeology programmes.

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