We're proud to introduce Arden University's first honorary doctorate: Pauline Roche. Pauline is a technology expert and managing director based in Birmingham, who will be writing some inspirational articles for our readers over the coming months...
At our very first graduation ceremony last year, Arden University welcomed Birmingham-based entrepreneur Pauline Roche as its first honorary doctorate.
Pauline was chosen because of her commitment to promoting and increasing people’s digital literacy across the Midlands. With our head office based in Coventry and one of our study centres in Birmingham, we thought this deserved some recognition!
One of our key values at Arden is innovation, and Pauline is most definitely an ‘innovator’…
5 facts about Pauline Roche:
1. Pauline is the Managing Director of social enterprise RnR Organisation
2. She is a proud member and supporter of both the Impact Hub Birmingham and Shakti Women
3. In 2016, she won the West Midlands Women of the Year award for ‘Outstanding Contribution to Technology’
4. On top of everything else, Pauline is a freelance journalist and is currently studying for a further qualification, this time a PG Cert in Data Journalism
5. Pauline's favourite thing about her work is that she gets to work with her husband who is, "an amazingly creative cook so we always have interesting meals as we tackle our daily challenges."
Pauline in her own words:
"I have always tried to improve myself and to help others to improve on what exists. Through my business, RnR Organisation, I work to increase and improve the use of digital technology by small charities, mainly grassroots organisations whose aim is to improve the lives and life chances of people in the community. By ‘small’ I mean charities which have less than £1 million annual income, and that is 97% of 168,000 registered charities in the UK. According to the Small Charities Coalition, collectively they receive less than 20% of the money that goes to charities.
I work strategically as well as operationally. I want to ensure that the skills needed to explore and implement solutions using technology to help small charities become more efficient and effective are fostered in people in this sector. I’ve done this through research, writing, organising and campaigning. In 2017 I started a monthly e-bulletin Digital WM News which focuses on #techforgood in the Midlands. I help to run various local and regional tech for good groups and networks, and events that bring us all together. We learn and improve together.
My background in information science and my experience at management levels in the public and voluntary sectors enables me to spot opportunities and to work collaboratively with other individuals and organisations to achieve results.
I keep in touch and up to date with digital charity colleagues across the UK and Ireland, and further afield using social media channels. I really enjoy exploring the web and sharing, and my everyday communication tools include Twitter, LinkedIn and various Slack workspaces.
With my current studies, I'm enhancing what I already know and writing more, and with more authority."
Feeling inspired?
If reading about Pauline has inspired you to get into the tech world, why not have a browse of our Computing and IT courses? Our courses are work-focused and designed to help you to kick-start, or further your career...
