I’m Honoured to Be Elected to the Board of Directors at Vaughan College

Feb 17, 2026

By Dr Emma Astra (PhD), Lived Experience Expert, 17th February 2026

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Image above: Vaughan College’s former location (1962–2013) at St Nicholas Circle, Leicester — now the site of the Jewry Wall Museum. Photo credit to Wikipedia.

I am incredibly proud to share that I have been elected to the Board of Directors at Leicester Vaughan College.

This is not simply a governance appointment. It is deeply personal — a full-circle moment in my lifelong learning journey.

Without Vaughan College, I would almost certainly not have gone on to complete my Master’s degree in Social Work and my PhD, both later undertaken at the University of Leicester.

A Historic Institution for Lifelong Learning

Founded in 1862 as the Working Men’s Institute, Vaughan College was established to widen access to higher learning for working-class communities in Leicester. Over time, it expanded to include women and learners from diverse social backgrounds, becoming a cornerstone of adult education and lifelong learning in the city.

In 1929, Vaughan College formally merged with Leicester University College (later the University of Leicester), becoming its extra-mural and adult education department. From 1929 to 2013, it delivered accredited University of Leicester certificates and degrees designed around real-life work, families, and responsibilities—structured especially for part-time learners.

Before moving to its purpose-built premises on Great Central Street (1907–1908) and later to St Nicholas Circle (1962), Vaughan College (founded 1862) operated for 45 years in temporary accommodation, primarily within St Martin's Boys School. These earlier classes were held in rooms at the school in the town centre, often with separate locations for men's and women's classes in its early years.

During my time there, 2004-2009, Vaughan College was located at the top of what is now the Jewry Wall Museum, opposite the Holiday Inn, St Nicholas Circle, in Leicester city centre. For generations of students, that building became synonymous with accessible higher education and lifelong learning opportunities.

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Image above: Where Vaughan College was physically located in Leicester during my time there at Jewry Wall Museum with full access to The University of Leicester campus including the university library and graduation. Photo credit to Wikipedia.

Following the closure of the college by The University of Leicester in 2013, Vaughan College was re-established as an independent, democratically run cooperative Community Benefit Society.

The current official correspondence address is:

c/o Leicester Adult Education
54 Belvoir Street
Leicester LE1 6QL

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Image above: Cafe area, which is also open to the public at the Adult Education College, Leicester.

The organisation is currently aligning on the most suitable long-term location for face-to-face teaching, alongside expanding and strengthening online provision to ensure access across Leicester, Leicestershire, and beyond.

Alongside its humanities provision, Vaughan College also developed internationally renowned counselling training and qualifications, widely respected within adult education and professional training circles.

At its heart, Vaughan College has always stood for lifelong learning — education that is accessible, flexible and open at every stage of life.

My Lifelong Learning Journey Began There

My higher education journey began at Vaughan College, when it was still part of the University of Leicester.

I completed a Higher Education Certificate, which provided the stepping stone I needed to continue. That certificate was accredited from The University of Leicester and meant equivalent of A-Level points.

I then enrolled on the World Humanities degree programme, accredited by the University of Leicester via Vaughan College. The structure — once a week in person over three years — allowed me to work full-time while studying. It was the only realistic route available to me at that time.

The curriculum was diverse and intellectually rich. Modules rotated every few weeks — media, intercultural relations, art history and more. We were taught by exceptional academics and experts within their field, including professors from Leicester and Cambridge. We held annual Oxford residentials and occasional Saturday sessions to strengthen our cohort community.

Above images: During yearly residential at Oxford circa 2009

Our group came from all walks of life — different ages, professions and backgrounds. The dropout rate was remarkably low. Many of us remain in touch today.

At the time, Arts Council funding, to the whole class without eligibility criteria, meant fees were around £1,000 per year, making higher education financially feasible (based on 2006-2009).

Although World Humanities was not originally my first subject choice, it enabled me to complete my degree and attend graduation — something that once felt unlikely. At the time, I needed a degree that would fit around work. I also knew at the time that I needed face-to-face instruction. Over the years, my learning style has shifted to greater reliance on online learning due to health and overall learning development needs.

Above image: Picture of my graduation at The University of Leicester, with my completed my BA (hons) degree through Vaughan College, aged 27, nearly 28 in July 2009.

That qualification enabled me to pursue both my Master’s degree in Social Work and, later, my PhD in Media, Communication and Sociology at the University of Leicester.

Without Vaughan College — without lifelong learning — that pathway would likely not have existed.

Image above: My later Master’s Graduation, age 34, January 2016. Enabled by completing my earlier degree via Vaughan College, University of Leicester

Image Above: My later PhD Graduation, age 43, nearly 44, July 2025, again at The University of Leicester

Why I Grabbed the Opportunity

I took this opportunity to serve on the Board of Directors at Leicester Vaughan College because I believe that lifelong learning must remain central to our educational system.

Lifelong learning is not defined by age — it is defined by mindset, opportunity and access.

Whether someone is 18, 28, 48 or 78, education should feel open to them.

I also believe that education must be relatable to real lives. It must connect to the communication and writing people actually use. It must be applicable in the workplace. It must support entrepreneurship, business creation and innovation.

It must enable genuine movement up the socioeconomic ladder—helping people advance professionally, move into leadership roles, establish businesses, and build stable futures.

Vaughan College has always welcomed learners from all walks of life — including 18-year-olds seeking a supportive, seminar-based environment and mature learners balancing responsibilities with study.

Education should never feel like a closed door.

It should feel possible.

Contributing to the Future

I am particularly looking forward to further contributing to Vaughan College's future-proofing.

That includes supporting efforts to regain accredited status while also helping shape lifelong learning pathways that reflect today's world.

There is scope to explore:

Thoughtful engagement with AI
Publishing and self-publishing guidance
Research dissemination and knowledge-sharing
Practical writing skills
Digital tools that support learning and enterprise

We must honour the College’s heritage — but we must also bring it fully into the present and future.

I am especially interested in hearing from those who are not currently using Vaughan College:

Why not?
What would make you use it?
What would help remove barriers?

We need feedback from all walks of life—particularly those facing barriers to advancing in education or the workplace.

We must bring Vaughan College into the now, while shaping what people want to see from it in the future. Do you want accredited courses? If so, in what subject? How would you like the accreditation process to look? Or would you prefer relaxed, informative talks? These are just a few of the many questions you may have, along with the answers we need to help you.

Above all, this is a very timely and exciting time to be joining the Directors board. Not just for Leicester Vaughan College. But for the higher education system as a whole.

Serving the Community — Within My Limits

This is a voluntary role.

My health prevents me from committing to consistent teaching or paid work. It is important to be transparent about that.

However, I hope this voluntary contribution will allow me to serve not only an organisation that helped shape my own life, but also the wider community of Leicester and beyond.

If I can contribute to rebuilding belief in education — in its accessibility, relevance and possibility — then that matters.

About the Author

Dr Emma Astra is a Leicester-based writer, researcher and Lived Experience Expert. Her academic journey began at 23, through part-time lifelong learning at Vaughan College, where she completed a Higher Education Certificate and a World Humanities degree accredited by the University of Leicester. She later completed both her Master’s degree in Social Work and her PhD in Media, Communication and Sociology at the University of Leicester. Before ill health, Emma had a 20-year career in children’s social work, working closely with families, communities and vulnerable young people. Along with commissioning Looked After Children’s placements and Family Court work. That professional background continues to shape her understanding of education, opportunity and the real-life barriers people face. She was able to advance her career thanks to Vaughan College's flexible, affordable arrangements.

Using available resources and emerging digital trends, she shares diverse lived experiences and practical knowledge in accessible and engaging ways, helping bridge education, real life and opportunity. She has a particular interest in how AI, self-publishing, digital media and journalism can be used responsibly to raise awareness of lived experiences. Outside her academic pursuits, Emma enjoys watching television, especially British soaps, and explores them through educational social media commentary, particularly issues surrounding class and health-related research perspectives.

Emma is deeply interested in understanding what would encourage more people to engage in lifelong learning—particularly those not currently using institutions like Vaughan College —and how it could work in practice for them. She actively seeks feedback from individuals across Leicester and beyond about what education should look like now and in the future, especially for those facing barriers to progression in the workplace or higher education.

🔗 www.linktr.ee/emmaastra
✍️ https://substack.com/@emmaastra

Emma Astra Foundation

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