Dr Miri Firth

“Dr Miri Firth is redefining assessment for a generation of learners.” Dr Miri Firth is one of the UK’s leading voices in educational innovation, known for transforming how universities design, deliver, and evaluate learning through flexible and inclusive assessment. As Academic Lead for Assessment at the University of Manchester, she spearheaded the national Optionality in Assessment framework, now adopted by 13 UK universities including York, UCL, and Imperial, giving thousands of students choice in how they demonstrate achievement. Her work, funded by the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA), has reached over 300,000 students and over 10,000 educators, while her public guidance through Advance HE, JISC, and Times Higher Education has influenced sector policy and practice across the UK and internationally. A Principal Fellow of Advance HE and national Chair of the AGCAS Creative Industries Task Group, Dr Firth’s leadership continues to bridge policy, pedagogy, and employability. Her research and speaking engagements for the OECD, Advance HE, and Universities UK position her as a transformative figure shaping the future of higher education assessment. Through vision, collaboration, and evidence-led practice, Dr Firth is empowering institutions to create fairer, more authentic learning for every student.