Gillian Armstrong

Professor Gillian Armstrong joined Ulster University in 1997 and was awarded a Senior Lectureship in 2007 and a Chair in Business Education in 2013. She has taught within the Consumer Research and Marketing related areas and has been actively involved in the development of work based learning and employability related curriculum. Gillian is a member of the Department of the Economy (DfE) Higher Education for NI Project 6, to enhance the employability prospects of graduates. She is also an active member of the Chartered Association of Business Schools (CABS) Learning, Teaching and Student Experience Committee.Her research interests are in the use of big data consumer analytics and have been supported by a range of research funders (DAERA, Invest NI). Gillian has published in a range of academic journals, including the International Small Business Journal, the Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development and was part of the REF 2014 Business and Management Studies Unit of Assessment.Gillian is currently Head of the Department of Accounting, Finance and Economics within the Ulster University Business School. The Department has a strong professional practice focus, whilst also ensuring active engagement in applied research. It has a staffing complement of 30 academic staff and works closely with the professional and financial services sectors to actively support the supply of skills and the attractiveness of Northern Ireland as a location to do business. The Department’s professional accreditations and reputation for high quality teaching and student support continues to secure long standing partnerships with overseas Universities, particularly in China. Long standing partnerships have been established with Dongbei University of Finance and Economics (DUFE), South China Agricultural University (SCAU) and more recently, with Hebei Geo University (HUI), where Gillian is a Visiting Professor.