Paul Cook’s academic journey began as a mature student following a career in sales and logistics for an SME and an international brand. He was awarded a first-class BSc (Honours) Surf Science and Technology degree (a STEM degree with an applied sport science major and a global business minor), and an MA Sport Coaching and Development with distinction. Paul also achieved several vocational qualifications including a (level 7) Association for Project Management Professionals Qualification, and a Postgraduate Certificate in Academic and Professional Learning, as well as several sport administration qualifications.  
Following his MA, Paul worked as a Project Development Consultant (PDC) with Cornwall College Group (CCG). He had a 100% success rate in applying for ESF and ERDF funding, securing £10m+ for education and research projects through open and competitive tendering. He also co-developed the award-winning SMART Women management education project, which has been replicated throughout Europe. As part of his wider strategic responsibilities, Paul was also the co-chair of the pre-approval panel for the £7m Cornwall Research and Development Fund, and a member of the EU Cross-cutting Agenda Group. In his project development role, Paul also represented CCG on several county-level strategic planning boards, including the Cornwall Economic Forum, Cornwall Enterprise Training Group, and the Cornwall Employers Forum.      
Since joining academia in 2006, Paul has completed a PhD titled ‘Surfing the line: an analysis of authenticity, irreverence and the co-creation of meaning in global surf brand marketing’. He is the Programme Leader for BSc (Hons) Sport Management and has led research methods, marketing and communication, and media and event management modules. In his previous role on the University International Committee and as the Department Director of TransNational Education, Paul created a sport summer school delivered in Thailand, led the sport programme approval event in Hong Kong, and developed and managed sport management degree programmes in Singapore and Barcelona. Indeed, Paul developed and manages Northumbria’s only partnership in mainland Europe, which has enabled the university to collaborate with FC Barcelona and Barca Innovation Hub.   

In his PDC role, Paul was an active member, and business case developer for several interdisciplinary research groups, including the Cornwall Air Quality Group, the Cornwall Business School Research Group, and the Social Inclusion Research Group. Paul led on successful funding submissions totalling £1.45m. Currently, Paul’s research focuses on the student journey, human interaction in sport business contexts, and methodological process to achieve authentic representation. He is an active and enthusiastic member of the Women’s Sport and Wellbeing IDRT, Sport Spaces, Places and People IDRT, and the SER Pedagogy Research Group. Social Inclusion remains the focus of Paul’s research, motivated by the relational accountability to authentically represent and co-create solutions.