Director of Academic Quality, academyEX | PhD in Geography, University of Auckland | 8+ Years Supporting Postgraduate Learners | Programme Designer | Academic Quality Leader
Hayley Sparks is the person who makes sure everything at academyEX actually works. As Director of Academic Quality, she holds responsibility across quality assurance, regulatory compliance, programme development, and institutional strategy — the infrastructure that allows everything else to function.
With a Doctorate in Geography from the University of Auckland and over eight years supporting hundreds of learners through micro-credentials and Masters programmes, she has developed a practitioner's understanding of what effective postgraduate learning environments actually require. Her approach combines the rigour of academic standards with a genuine focus on what helps people learn and succeed.
Her role at academyEX places her at the intersection of policy and practice, translating regulatory requirements into programme design that serves learners rather than just satisfying compliance. It is unglamorous, essential work, and she does it exceptionally well.