profile
Dr Lynsey Melhuish
Senior Lecturer Sports Management
Richards Building 114
Richard's Building, University of Exeter, St Luke's Campus, Heavitree Road, Exeter, EX1 2LU, UK
Overview
I am a Senior Fellow of the HEA and Senior Lecturer in Sports Management (Education and Scholarship) in the Department of Public Health and Sport Sciences, within the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences. I am responsible for the leadership, delivery, and development of the MSc Sports Management programme in collaboration with the Business School.
My teaching disciplines span the breadth of the leisure industry including sports operations (strategic leadership and management, human resources, marketing, health, and safety), sports development, policy and governance and facilities management, event organisation, adventure, outdoor and extreme sports and tourism and hospitality management. This has been fuelled by rich and diverse industry experiences and extensive networking across the UK public, private and third sector (including local government, commercial companies, and national governing bodies) and globally.
My research and academic practice specialise in employability and learning, focused on employer engagement, experiential learning and work-placements, vocational habitus, the learner journey/careership, learning cultures/identities and widening participation/inclusion. My research expertise covers teaching and supervision on a range of undergraduate and postgraduate research projects/dissertations with specialist skills in the application of qualitative research methods.
Qualifications
2016- 2020 EdD Education, University of Southampton
2014 Senior Fellowship, Higher Education Academy
2011 Institute for Learning, QTLS Status
2007-2010 MA Education, University of Plymouth
2003-2005 PGCE - Post Compulsory Education, Oxford Brookes University
1998-2001 BA Hons (1st Class) Leisure/Human Resource Management, University of Gloucestershire
Career
I have spent my academic life combining learning and teaching with my interests and expertise in sport and the wider leisure industry. From frontline teaching, through to operations, senior leadership, and management positions (both in education and industry), alongside active research. I have extensive educational experience in teaching, leadership, and management, preceded by employment across a diverse range of industry fields in community, sport, leisure, business, events, health, and social welfare. Prior to joining Exeter, I have been responsible for the curriculum leadership and development of a range of sports, leisure, outdoor and adventure programmes at Solent University, and other educational institutes, and as an Associate Professor, specialising in employment and learning through staff development and the enhancement, and growth of innovative pedagogy and teaching practice. I am committed to exceptional student satisfaction through the learner journey to graduation and employability; achieved through creative, and transformational leadership and delivery in exceptional learning, teaching, and pastoral support.
Research
Research interests
I am committed to research informed teaching, contributing to industry practice and in building reputation in research and scholarly activity to contribute globally. I have a developing portfolio of research and scholarly activity associated with my breadth of subject disciplines, centred around the sport/leisure industry and my learning and teaching/educational expertise. I contribute to a range of educational and industry publications and conferences, and I also work with graduates to support and guide publication and presentation of student produced research.
Sport/leisure industry interests:
- Adventure sports coaching and epistemological approaches
- Event management and volunteering
- Outdoor learning and education/learning outside the classroom
- Adventure/nature therapy
- Human resource management
- Feasibility/business planning/marketing and procurement
- Leisure operations/facility management
- Sports development
- Community multi-agency working
- Health and social welfare/social policy
Learning and teaching research interests:
- Employer engagement/work based learning
- Learner journey, learner transitions and learner identity
- Careership, vocational habitus and horizons for action
- Non-traditional learners and widening participation
- Equality, diversity and inclusion
- Learning and teaching (including e-learning)
- Experiential and vocational learning
- Live work- based projects, consultancy and research
Publications (academic and industry)
Melhuish, L. and Ryan, G., (2022). Undergraduate perspectives on the epistemological chain in adventure sports coaching. Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning. UK: Taylor and Francis Online.
Melhuish, L., M., (2019). Exploring student perspectives of employer engagement as part of their higher education learner journey. University of Southampton, Doctoral Thesis, 277pp.
Melhuish, L., M., (2017). Dangerous Liaisons -Exploring employer engagement relationships in vocational undergraduate adventure and outdoor management degrees. Viewpoint; Industry and Higher Education Journal. Volume 2. London: Sage Publishing.
Melhuish, L., M., (2016). Loving or Loathing Lynda? A pilot study investigation into the integration of Lynda.com video e-learning resources within an undergraduate leisure management degree unit. PEOPLE: International Journal of Social Sciences. Volume 2. India: GRDS Publishing.
Melhuish L., M., and Ali, N., (2015). Festival Fear Factor. New Event Organiser- The Official Journal of The Event Services Association (TESA), Issue 124. Chepstow: TESA.
Melhuish L., M., (2015). Bubbles and Bar-tenders Primary First Journal, February 2015 edition. Oxford: National Association of Primary Education (NAPE).
Melhuish, L., M., (2014). Learning Outside the Classroom Sparkling or Still? Horizons Edition 67. Cumbria: Institute for Outdoor Learning.
Conferences contributions
- Solent Learning and Teaching Institute. Solent University, Southampton, UK 14th June 2023. Oral presentation “Exploring barriers to student engagement which threaten positive Graduate Outcomes”. Solent Learning, Teaching and Research Conference 2023.
- Advance HE. Northumbria University, Newcastle, UK, 5-7 July 2022. Oral presentation: “It’s not you it’s me”: How careership strategies and supporting services in HE can only go so far in aiding learning and empowering students to maximise employability opportunities in preparation for graduate careers”. Teaching and Learning Conference 2022: Teaching in the Spotlight: Where next for enhancing student success. Advance HE.
- 6th International Adventure Conference, Segovia, Spain, 30 January – 2 February 2018. Oral presentation: Dangerous liaisons – exploring university ‘employer engagement’ opportunities to benefit the adventure and outdoor industry. Climate for Change – Rethinking the outdoor experience. Adventure Tourism Research Association
- Association for Event Management Education (AEME), University of Derby, Buxton, July 2017: oral presentation Games-Makerization - creation of the Purple and Red Army: A conceptual review of literature examining traditional and contemporary management theory relating to the recruitment, training and development of staff within modern leisure service industries.
- 8th International Conference for Teaching, Education and Learning, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, December 2015: oral presentation: Loving or Loathing Lynda on outcomes of an e-learning pilot research.
- International Outdoor Research Conference, London, July 2015: poster presentation on research outcomes and future progression and policy relating to outdoor learning: LOtC Sparkling or Still.
- Association of Physical Education – National Conference, St George’s Park, Burton on Trent, June 2015: facilitation workshop on learning outside the classroom focusing on school teachers and related agency representatives.
- Institute for Outdoor Learning National Conference, October 2014, Loughborough: facilitation of workshop on learning outside the classroom focusing on outdoor practitioners and related agencies.
Research projects
I am currently working on publications and conference contributions involving qualitative research on the sport/adventure undergraduate learner journey. This explores multi-layered themes in higher education, combining academic and experiential learning opportunities to enhance the student experience and employability, from school to graduation to inform academics and professional services on maximising employability and career services and for positive graduate outcomes and student satisfaction.
External Engagement and Impact
Awards
Senior Fellow of the HEA 2014
External Examiner Positions
I have established senior level pedagogic reputation across the external HE/FE landscape as well as through extensive life-long professional sport and leisure networks in the UK and globally, contributing locally, nationally, and internationally on related research and scholarly activity to inform industry practice. I have extensive expertise as an External Examiner across the UK over the last decade, involved in UK and international partnership programmes. I have also been involved in numerous validation events.
External Examiner roles
2021 - FdSc Health and Social Care and BSc Professional Studies: University of Plymouth
2022 - Fd /BA (Hons) Adventure, Outdoor and Education Leadership: Open University
2016 – 2020 Fd /BA Leadership, Management and Public Services: University of East Anglia
2018 – 2021 Fd/ BA Business and Management: Bournemouth University
2014 – 2018 BSc/MA/MSc Leadership, Business,Management: Northumbria University
2013 – 2015 Fd/BA Public and Community Services: Manchester Metropolitan University
External positions
External validation roles
2023
BSc/MA/MSc Leadership, Business, Marketing and Management: Northumbria University
2015
BSc Adventure Leadership: University of Plymouth
2013
BSc/MA/MSc Leadership, Business, Marketing and Management: Northumbria University
UK FE/ HE partnership collaborations
Other collaborations during employment at Degree Centre Weymouth (2007-20012) included: Fd Sport /Fd Public Services with University of Plymouth FdA Public Services with Bournemouth University and FD Sport with University of Bath
Teaching
I am committed to teaching excellence, and the development, innovation, and creativity of a student focused curriculum. My teaching portfolio includes foundation, undergraduate and postgraduate level courses across sport, leisure (events / tourism and hospitality) adventure and outdoor management. I have also taught on Postgraduate Certificate in Education / Learning and Teaching in Higher Education.
2023/24 modules
MSc Sports Management
SHSM039 Sports Management, Leadership and Strategy
SHSM041 Sports Management Dissertation
Plus, contribution to:
SHSM040 International Sports Governance, Policy, and Contemporary Issues
BEMM789 Sports Management Business Plan
BSc Exercise and Sport Sciences
ESS2900 Employability and Career Development
Modules
2023/24
- ESS3108 - Professional Placement
- SHSM039 - Sport Management, Leadership and Strategy
- SHSM041 - Sport Management Dissertation