Ahead of new adventures we asked Sue Holmes, huge supporter and former Chair of AUDE, and outgoing Director of Estates at Oxford Brookes, the questions John Humphrys would have asked on Radio 4’s Today programme – if he’d done the sensible thing and invited Sue on.

How did you come to be an Estates Director?

I originally trained as a teacher and taught for a short time and went into temporary roles in local government.

I joined the Sheffield Polytechnic in 1982 to manage a stately home - with the longest façade in Europe - and cut my teeth managing a range of services and staff. I was there when it became Sheffield Hallam University and had a number of roles in the estates area. I was heavily involved in the estates rationalisation and new builds and refurbishments as I took responsibility for briefing and developing space standards, becoming Assistant Director in EFM.

I was part of the HEFCE Space Management Group and became chair of AUA so took the opportunities to look around the sector and see what others were doing. I was appointed as Director of Estates at Leeds Metropolitan University in 2006 with a brief to improve estate quality and reduce the overall space into an affordable model.

What are the biggest changes you’ve seen to the role/sector during your time in estates?

Change has been constant – but the depth and pace of change has increased so much more in the last few years. Estates and Facilities has also changed and developed - partly related to the service areas as well as to meet student increases, research development or expectations. The thing that hasn’t changed is that people think your job is easy and the things you manage simple. 30 years ago work was almost exclusively carried out in the ‘summer vacation’, residences looked very different and not many elements were outsourced. We didn’t pay VAT either.

Many universities didn’t actively need to recruit and although there has always been competition, when I joined the sector many polytechnics had estates departments that were part of the local authority and there were few outsourced services. The breadth and responsibility of the role has increased significantly.

What do you think might be the biggest challenges and opportunities for directors/estates in HE over the next 25 years?

Fees being held or reduced will have a further impact on costs and legislative compliance will only increase. Governing Bodies are more aware of risk and financial commitment and expectations from potential and current students and their funders will only increase.

Our responsibilities have also increased in terms of security and residential accommodation. There is a growing challenge in terms of managing the service and ensuring our students act responsibility as good citizens - whilst enjoying the freedoms that a university experience bring.

How has AUDE membership helped your role?

Being a director of estates and facilities can be a lonely role. There is just one of you in the institution dealing with a range of things we all have to deal with in our private lives - cleaning, maintenance, security and moving - and we can’t possibly have a perfect education ourselves to deal with the range of areas of responsibility in depth. Many of our colleagues know better or can get it cheaper!

Although we aim to build a team around us there is a huge professional support network in AUDE with many different experiences and expertise. It’s great to have a safe forum to sanity check wild ideas or opportunities in, as well as to learn from colleagues - be it great or less good experiences.

If you hadn’t been an estates director, what might you have done (or wanted to do)?

I’d have loved to be an actress - I see myself as a Julie Walters or Helen Mirren! A travel writer, landscape gardener or knitwear designer would also suit.

Who inspires you and why?

My Granny was a suffragette of diminutive stature who always told me and my sisters we could do anything. She was very bitter as one of 14 siblings who was ‘kept at home assisting Mother’ and was keen for us to get an education, attain independence and think big. We’d all like to think we have realised her dreams for us.

What are your plans for the future?

I do have a somewhat unusual personal life so we aim to see more of my stepchildren and grandchildren and spend 3 months of the year in Canada where they all live. No doubt that means more knitting.

We plan to buy some sort of old camper and travel around Europe for the next 5 years in 2 x 2 month blocks in Spring and Autumn and then catch up with friends and family in the UK and complete the family history in between. I’m expecting to use the phrase – ‘I don’t know how I had time to work’ on a very regular basis.