Sarah Radif

Biography

Sarah is Head of the Science and Engineering Department, leading a portfolio of courses in architecture and the built environment, biomedical science, computing and engineering. She is Associate Professor in Professional Practice, Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA) and Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists (FCIAT). She attained her degree in architecture (B Arch) in the MENA region before obtaining a master’s degree in architecture (M Arch) from the University of Liverpool.

As the Head of the Department of Science and Engineering, Sarah exemplifies strong leadership and a commitment to academic excellence. She leads with a collaborative and inclusive approach, fostering a culture of innovation and continuous improvement. Sarah's leadership is characterised by her ability to inspire and empower her team, driving them to achieve outstanding results. Sarah is dedicated to creating an environment where both staff and students can thrive. She champions inclusivity, recognising the unique contributions of each individual. Her leadership style is marked by open communication, transparency and a genuine commitment to the personal and professional growth of her team members.

Additionally, Sarah led her teams to achieve successful professional accreditations from several professional bodies including the Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists (CIAT) Society of British and International Design (SBID), the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), British Computing Society (BCS) and Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS) ensuring close alignment with industry needs.

Before her current role, Sarah headed the architecture, design and built environment subject group at Southampton Solent University and prior to this, she was Course Leader for the BA (Hons) Architectural Design and Technology. Through her innovative initiatives and unwavering dedication over more than two decades, Sarah has positioned the course as a leader in the sector, preparing the next generation of Architectural Technologists to make meaningful contributions to society. Under her leadership, the course has regularly enjoyed excellent reputation within industry, achieving outstanding results in external benchmarks such as national student survey, graduate outcomes and various other league tables.

Sarah was also responsible for founding the BA (Hons) Interior Design at Southampton Solent University. Among the subjects she taught are architectural design, construction technology, design detailing, architectural communication, sustainability, contract administration and professional practice.

An experienced academic, Sarah has overseen the validation and revalidation of numerous courses including foundation, undergraduate, postgraduate and apprenticeships overseeing curriculum design, compliance with quality assurance policies and alignment to professional body requirements.

Sarah led on key initiatives that has led to bridging the gap between academia and industry. Committed to driving excellence in pedagogic practice, and utilising her extensive network of industry connections, Sarah introduced several innovative frameworks to achieve genuine embedding of real-world practice in teaching and learning including the use of live briefs delivered in collaboration with, the introduction of thematic course structure closely aligned to professional body accreditation guidelines and the implementation of streamlined assessment practice the mimics industry practice. She revolutionised the professional practice curriculum by pioneering an innovative practice-led delivery model that promotes direct interaction between practitioners and students including the use of mock interviews to support graduate employability.

Externally, Sarah has contributed to the evolution of architectural technology as a modern academic discipline and profession through her involvement with the professional body, Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists (CIAT). She is a member of CIAT Education Board and Accreditation Group, acts as Professional Assessor and Moderator, and regularly chairs course accreditation panels. Sarah was invited to take part in 2014 and 2021 QAA Subject Benchmark Statements for Architectural Technology review panels where she had direct input into shaping the benchmarks used to inform undergraduate and postgraduate CIAT course accreditation on a national and international level. Sarah is the first (and currently the only) woman to qualify as Professional Assessor for the newly created Fellowship (FCIAT) grade of membership.

More recently, Sarah oversaw the development of Southampton Solent first online Certificate of Practical Artificial Intelligence. This qualification is aimed at equipping students and staff with the knowledge and skills needed to understand and apply artificial intelligence in today’s rapidly changing technological landscape.

Sarah’s research interest lies in the impact of social, economic and political factors on the development of housing standards in the UK since the second world war. More recently she has taken part in circa €400k ERASMUS PLUS research project investigating the use of timber in high rise buildings in collaboration with universities from Denmark, Estonia, Lithuania and Portugal. Prior to teaching, she practised architecture working on projects in luxury housing, art galleries, large scale residential and commercial sectors.

Among Sarah’s other contributions is acting as Technical Judge for the Society of British and International Design (SBID) annual awards. Internationally, Sarah served as Visiting Juror of Interior Design at New York School of Interior Design and New York's Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) and Member of FIT Advisory Board for Interior Design.