About Andy

Required verbage: Any content on this site reflect my own personal views and not those of any of my employers.  Where appropriate, all content is © Andrew Hollyhead

I am an Associate Professor and lead the Centre for Internal Audit, Governance and Risk Management at Birmingham City University, in the faculty of Business, Law and Social Sciences.  Prior to this, I worked for fifteen years in many roles within two large organisations.  This exposed me to a wide variety of different computer platforms and operating systems and different levels of  responsibility.

I was responsible for the payroll and human resource system for over twelve thousand employees, and led the ‘y2k’ project to ensure that this system was upgraded for the new millennium.  This brought  my first exposure to the PRINCE2 project management methodology, and my subsequent training as a PRINCE2 Practitioner.  I have run a number of short external courses on the PRINCE2 methodology.

For many years I was an associate lecturer with the Open University.  This relationship has continued since 2000, and have tutored on a number of Technology courses.  I continued to be a student of  the Open University, and have also gained a BA qualification to go with my BSc hons, and MA in Education.  I also gained a Certificate in Comtemporary Science in 2009, studying a number of short, but relevant science courses.

The MA in Education stemmed from the Postgraduate Certificate in Education recognised by the HE Academy as appropriate for Fellowship membership of their organisation.  My dissertation focused on the use of Project Management within education.

I gained my PhD (Doctorate) in e-Research and Technology Enhanced Learning with Lancaster University at the end of 2014.  The title of my thesis was “Developing electronic portfolios within a not-for-profit organisation: a single-site case study evaluating the impact upon the organisation and the individual through action research.”   I wrote a blog throughout my time as a PhD student and can be found here.

Before moving to the Business School in 2010, I have taught on the full range of HND, undergraduate and postgraduate courses within the department of computing.  Whilst covering many areas, my particular interest is that of Business Computing, Information in Organisations, Soft Systems Analysis, Project Management and Professional Development.  I have also represented my university abroad, in partnership visits to Hong Kong and Singapore.

My current teaching focuses on Risk in its many forms, as well as Research Methods and Consultancy skills.  I have a particular interest in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

I am also the external programme examiner for the ITMB programme at the University of Hertfordshire, having held a similar position at the University of Greenwich for five years.

Outside work, you’ll find me in front of one of my Apple computers, writing or reading, and maybe, just maybe watching Family Guy or the Simpsons.  Rarely I’ll be polishing my cherished MINI Countryman.