Tom Ritchie

Lead Consultant

Dr Tom Ritchie is the Director of Student Experience in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Warwick, where he also leads on Education for Sustainable Development. With a background in history, Tom’s unique positioning within a Chemistry department has deeply influenced his understanding of the transformative role higher education can play in people’s lives. He operates within the ‘third space’, the intersection of academic, professional, and student experience domains, enabling him to connect across disciplines, departments, and strategic priorities to build systems that genuinely support student success and foster belonging.

Tom’s journey began in student leadership as a Students’ Union President, followed by a PhD in the history of science through a partnership between the University of Kent and the Science Museum. His research explored how complex systems evolve and adapt over time, a perspective he now applies to institutional and educational change.

At Warwick, Tom co-developed We are Chemistry, a programme co-created with students that led to a 45% reduction in first-year student departures and a 12% increase in academic success in 2024. The initiative has since grown into a university-wide change programme, recognised by the Royal Society of Chemistry, AdvanceHE, and others.

He also co-led the development of the Warwick Building Belonging Framework, now embedded in university strategy and adapted by institutions nationally and internationally. This framework exemplifies how evidence-based partnership models can drive sustainable transformation in higher education.

Alongside these initiatives, Tom convenes interdisciplinary modules on AI, ethics, innovation, and sustainability, and hosts the AI Ethics Now podcast. Across all his work, he maintains a clear focus on partnership and trust, championing student agency and the power of crossing disciplinary, structural, and cultural boundaries to achieve meaningful, lasting change.