Dr Fiona Meeks

Fiona has been an educator for over 20 years and is dedicated to fostering a dynamic and inclusive learning environment that empowers students to take an active role in their education. Fiona believes that learning is most effective when students engage directly with the material, rather than passively receiving information. To facilitate this, Fiona incorporates participatory teaching methods that encourage collaboration, critical thinking, and hands-on problem solving. These approaches help transform the classroom from a space of passive learning into one of active exploration, where students deepen their understanding through engagement and shared perspectives.

Fiona Meeks’ research examines how cities can create lasting value from hosting mega-sports events. Her work explores the long-term legacy benefits of the London 2012 Olympic Games. Fiona examines how the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park has developed into a thriving innovation district, where organisations, universities, communities, and policymakers have generated long-term economic and social value through collaboration, knowledge exchange, and innovation activities.

Fiona supports the research and innovation activities of The Creative Experience Lab London (CELL). CELL is a dynamic, cross-sector partnership dedicated to driving innovation in the design and delivery of creative experiences. Jointly led by Loughborough University London and University College London (UCL), CELL aims to become a leading hub for creative experience research and development.

Within the Institute of Sport Business, Fiona teaches modules in Sport Business Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Business Models. She serves as Module Leader for the Collaborative Project and contributes to the delivery of the Grand Challenges module.

Drawing on local case studies and industry engagement, Fiona provides students with insights into factors that enable organisations to successfully innovate, within the sport industry. In particular, she explores innovative practices implemented by organisations based at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, offering students a practical understanding of how creativity, partnership working, and innovation activities can create social and economic value.

Fiona adopts a student-centred approach to teaching, incorporating group discussions, experiential learning activities, and problem-solving exercises that encourage both individual and collaborative learning. These approaches help students apply theoretical concepts in practice while developing essential communication, teamwork, critical thinking, and analytical skills. By fostering an inclusive and supportive learning environment, Fiona encourages students to contribute diverse perspectives, engage in meaningful dialogue, and learn from one another's experiences.

Fiona's overarching aim as an educator is to create stimulating and meaningful learning experiences that equips students with the confidence to express their ideas and embrace intellectual curiosity.

Fiona's career as an educator started as a volunteer teaching grade 1 ABRSM piano to primary school children in the London Borough of Islington. This led to several different types of teaching experiences from reception to Year 12 across the London Borough of Islington and Hackney in music and sports.

Fiona has significant professional experience in the public sector, having worked with a number of Local authorities on various projects and programs from digital health to music and sports provision. As a consultant, Fiona has worked for Industry clients including At Scale, BADU sports, Catch Impact, GLA, Here East, London Legacy Development Corporation, Sport England and LOCOG.  In her spare time, Fiona, can be found in the fab lab at LUL where she experiments with scanning, modelling and translating real-world objects into 3D digital models and prints.