Professor Diana Beech
About
Overview
Diana joined City St George’s, University of London in April 2025 as Director of the Finsbury Institute, the University’s new public policy hub, and also serves as Assistant Vice-President (Policy & Government Affairs). Diana holds a PhD in German Studies from the University of Cambridge and has held senior leadership and policy roles in higher education and within national government.
Until March 2025, Diana was Chief Executive of London Higher, the representative body for London's higher education sector, where she led the organisation through a significant period of business transformation, member growth and political advocacy. Before this, Diana served as Policy Advisor to three Universities and Science Ministers under the last UK Government. Other previous appointments include serving as Head of Government Affairs at the University of Warwick, the first Director of Policy and Advocacy at the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) and as an official in the Department for Education with specific responsibility for the programme management of the establishment of the Office for Students. At the start of her career, Diana held successive post-doctoral research appointments at the University of British Columbia, the Technical University of Berlin and the University of Cambridge.
While working in policy, Diana has authored and contributed to numerous papers and reports on various aspects of higher education policy, including access and participation, teaching excellence and free speech. She is a frequent commentator on developments in sector press and podcasts, and a regular panellist and keynote speaker at sector events. She has continued to publish academic papers and contribute to edited volumes.
Diana was made a Companion of the British Academy of Management in 2022 and received Freedom of the City of London in 2024. She has been a Chartered Manager since 2026 and a Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute (FCMI).
Qualifications
- MSc in Leadership, City St George's, University of London, United Kingdom, 2023 - 2025
- PhD in German Studies, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom, 2006 - 2010
- MPhil in Contemporary European Studies, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom, 2005 - 2006
- BA (Hons) in Modern European Languages & Cultures (German), Durham University, United Kingdom, 2001 - 2005
Memberships of committees
- Expert Member, Office for Students Public Affairs Committee, May 2026 - present
- Commissioner, International Higher Education Commission, January 2023 - present
- Trustee, The Conversation UK, September 2021 - present
- Independent Governor and Vice-Chair of the Board, Board of Governors, University of Worcester, August 2017 - present
Languages
German (can read, write, speak, understand spoken)
Publications
Publications by category
Chapters (7)
- Burn, H. (2024). A Qualified Disaster: Allocating Student Grades during Covid-19. Educational Equity in a Global Context Cases and Conversations in Educational Ethics (pp. 57-78). Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 9781350399631.
- Beech, D., Olohan, S. and Murray, J. (2021). Student Suicide: The Policy Context. In Smith, J. and Mallon, S. (Eds.), Preventing and Responding to Student Suicide A Practical Guide for FE and HE Settings (pp. 78-93). Jessica Kingsley Publishers. ISBN 9781787754195.
- Beech, D. (2021). Maintaining and Enhancing the UK’s Global Reputation as a Go-to Destination of Study. In Özkan, A.D. (Ed.), Conference Proceedings of Eurasia Higher Education Summit EURIE 2021 (pp. 85-89). https://purehost.bath.ac.uk/ws/portalfiles/portal/238841942/Eurie_Conference_Proceesings_Book_2021.pdf: Istanbul Aydın University. ISBN 9786257783392.
- Beech, D. (2020). Higher Education Policy Institute. The SAGE Encyclopedia of Higher Education SAGE. ISBN 9781529725919.
- Beech, D. (2019). Working with think-tanks. In Bagshaw, A. and McVitty, D. (Eds.), Influencing Higher Education Policy A Professional Guide to Making an Impact (pp. 38-51). Routledge. ISBN 9780429793028.
- Beech, D. (2018). Higher Education in Brexit Britain: What the UK’s Student Population Could Look Like in the Future. In Özkan, A.D. (Ed.), Selected Proceedings of the Eurasia Higher Education Summit EURIE 2018 (pp. 105-108). https://euriesummit.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/eurie-2018-proceedings.pdf: ISTANBUL AYDIN UNIVERSITY. ISBN 9789752438385.
- Beech, D. (2015). A Soul for European Science: Exploring the New Renaissance in European Research Policy. God and the EU Faith in the European Project (pp. 251-267). Routledge. ISBN 9781317439202.
Journal article
- Beech, N., Mason, K.J., MacIntosh, R. and Beech, D. (2022). Learning from Each Other: Why and How Business Schools Need to Create a “Paradox Box” for Academic–Policy Impact. Academy of Management Learning & Education, 21(3), pp. 487-502. doi:10.5465/amle.2021.0303
Reports (14)
- Beech, D. and Venning, E. (2026). Preparing for Populism. Higher Education Policy Institute: Higher Education Policy Institute. ISBN 9781915744586.
- Beech, D. and Spicer, A. (2025). Universities are boxed in: Is there a way out? Higher Education Policy Institute. ISBN 9781915744449.
- (2023). How to talk to policymakers about research. Higher Education Policy Institute. ISBN 9781915744012.
- Beech, D. and Dixon, E. (2022). International Education Strategy for London. London Higher.
- Beech, D. (2021). Clearing the Big Smoke: London’s higher education sector leading a greener future. London Higher.
- Beech, D. (2021). Winning London's Arts and Minds: The importance of creative higher education provision in the capital. London Higher.
- Beech, D. (2018). Cracking the code: A practical guide to university free speech policies. Higher Education Policy Institute. ISBN 9781908240415.
- (2018). Reaching the parts of society universities have missed: A manifesto for the new Director of Fair Access and Participation. Higher Education Policy Institute. ISBN 9781908240385.
- Beech, D. and Bekhradnia, B. (2018). Demand for higher education to 2030. Higher Education Policy Institute. ISBN 9781908240378.
- Beech, D. (2018). An analysis of UK university free speech policies. UK Parliament Joint Committee for Human Rights.
- Beech, D. (2017). Going for Gold: Lessons from the TEF provider submissions. Higher Education Policy Institute. ISBN 9781908240316.
- Beech, D. (2016). The Scale Up Workbook: How to grow your recruitment business. Recruitment and Employment Confederation.
- Beech, D. (2016). The gig economy: The Uberisation of work. Recruitment and Employment Confederation.
- Beech, D. (2015). Getting on: what pay and progression looks like for low-paid workers today. Recruitment and Employment Confederation.