About Us

Mission

To elevate the standards of learning environments through a focus on quality, compliance, collaboration, and accessibility, while championing sustainability, inclusivity, and empowerment.

Vision

To be a global leader in education consultancy, transforming educational institutions and systems to be high-quality, compliant, collaborative, and accessible, fostering a sustainable, inclusive, and empowered future for all learners.

Values

• Quality: We are committed to delivering top-tier consultancy services that enhance the quality of education, ensuring that institutions achieve excellence in teaching, learning, and administration.
• Compliance: We prioritise adherence to regulatory standards and best practices, helping educational institutions navigate and meet compliance requirements to ensure safe, ethical, and effective operations.
• Collaboration: We believe in the power of collaboration, working closely with educational stakeholders to co-create solutions that address unique challenges and drive collective success.
• Accessibility: We strive to make education accessible to all, advocating for the removal of barriers and the creation of inclusive learning environments that cater to diverse needs and backgrounds.

Stephen is the Founder & CEO of illuminare Education, illuminare Medical Education, and Co-Founder & Commercial Director of illuminare Executive Education.

He is an accomplished business leader and entrepreneur with a passion for executive education and organisational development. With a track record of success in both corporate and academic settings, Stephen has dedicated his career to empowering leaders and driving organisational excellence.

In a career that has spanned 38 years in Corporate Finance, Property Development, Hospitality and Education, Stephen is passionate about the value of executive education, experiencing first-hand the value of both formal and informal education and commercial development during that time. The value of learning within an organisation, with a focus on the organisation is the way that people and businesses grow.

John F Kennedy said that ‘Leadership and Learning are indispensable to each other’. Throughout his career Stephen has seen the value of learning and the benefit ‘educated’ leadership has on the growth and success of an organisation.

Stephen champions everyone’s right to have high quality accessible education. He believes that a sustainable way to achieve this is through quality led university partnerships, that enable students to access higher education where impact and positive outcomes are the highest priority.

He also understands that the bedrock for a successful partnership is formed from an underpin of quality and compliance. To achieve this, he leads a team focussed on quality, compliance, and academic outcomes, who support clients in attaining OfS approval and the right HEI partnership and embedding management processes and continuous audit to ensure sustained success.

Anita Wise is a highly experienced, innovative, and confident leader of quality and compliance, people, and processes, working within and on behalf of global corporations to start-ups, building and delivering successful teams and processes, leading to successful outcomes for the individual and the organisation – both nationally and internationally.

This success has led to being appointed as Head of Quality and Compliance at illuminare Education, following a successful career with the University of Buckingham as Assistant Registrar – Academic Compliance, leading the organisation through the major changes to regulation from the Office for Students published in May 2022.

Anita has developed several innovative tools to support education providers in understanding and applying the revised OFS Conditions of Registration including the Student Journey Audit Matrix (SJAM) along with the associated Gap Analysis; Quality Stress Test Analysis (QSTA) and the University Due Diligence Matrix (UDDM), all proprietary tools used in securing OFS and HEI approval for our clients.

Anita’s practices have developed over 35 years in quality, compliance, and operational roles in several sectors.  In addition, she is an ISO accredited auditor and a Data Protection Officer.

Anita prides herself on her versatility, optimism, humanism, determination, and the ability to envision a better future.

Myers-Briggs Personality Type:  Advocate INFJ-A

Tauqir is a seasoned professional with over 24 years of experience in the education industry, spanning both Further Education (FE) and Higher Education (HE). Currently serving as the Business Development Director for illuminare Education Ltd.

Tauqir has demonstrated his expertise in managing multi-million-pound government contracts and navigating the intricacies of UK Government-funded and private training provision within the education sector.

Specialising in consultancy services for the Office for Students (OFS), working with illuminare Education Tauqir has enabled enhanced access routes for FE providers aspiring to venture into HE through strategic university collaborations. His proficiency extends to degree validation services for both FE and HE providers, boasting a track record of proven success.

Having successfully led businesses in both the further and higher education markets, Tauqir has cultivated international networks across the Middle East, Far East, Africa, Southeast Asia, and notably in Turkey. His consultancy services cater to colleges and universities worldwide, focusing on business growth strategies and fostering successful collaborations between UK and international institutions.

Tauqir’s international development initiatives include establishing prestigious education institutions in Qatar, Kuwait, China, and Bahrain. Furthermore, he has facilitated international programmes in football with renowned UK football clubs, bringing aspiring players and enthusiasts to the UK on football study tours lasting up to 11 months. Through his visionary leadership and unwavering dedication, Tauqir continues to leave an indelible mark on the global education landscape.

Sarah is the Chief Operating Officer of illuminare Education, bringing over 18 years of experience in the higher education sector. Her extensive background as a Senior Higher Education Leader and Academic has been instrumental in shaping and delivering postgraduate and undergraduate programmes, as well as executive education for senior leaders. Sarah’s expertise spans both UK and international higher education institutions, having overseen programme validation and delivery in diverse locations such as the UK, Singapore, Botswana, Greece, Switzerland, Denmark, and Qatar.

In her role at illuminare Education, Sarah plays a pivotal part in driving the company’s operational strategy, ensuring that the organisation remains at the forefront of the higher education landscape. Her deep understanding of the sector allows her to address its unique challenges and identify key opportunities for growth.

Sarah’s broad experience extends beyond academia, having founded and managed businesses in the coaching, corporate training, and education sectors. Her client portfolio includes a range of industries, from finance and engineering to IT and hospitality. With a proven ability to collaborate across diverse cultural and sectoral backgrounds, Sarah is dedicated to enhancing illuminare Education’s impact, helping both individuals and organisations thrive.

Tom is a seasoned marketing professional with over 15 years of experience in media and marketing, specialising in the higher education sector. He has worked with numerous businesses and brands, applying his expertise in social media, website development, email marketing and SEO to achieve tangible results.

At illuminare Education, Tom plays an increasingly pivotal role in shaping the company’s marketing and sales strategy. Working closely with the rest of the team, he helps to build a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by the sector, develops audience personas, and identifies key pain points, ensuring the company’s marketing efforts are both targeted and effective.

Tom’s extensive experience enables him to contribute significantly to illuminare Education’s growth, aligning its strategic objectives with the ever-changing demands of the education landscape. Through his dedication and industry insights, Tom continues to drive the company’s success and build lasting relationships within the sector.