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Dr Michael Harris joins BSU as Senior Psychology Lecturer & Link Tutor for International Partnerships

Tuesday, 29 September, 2026

From investigating serious crime to researching missing people, teaching psychology and working as a counsellor, Dr Michael Harris has built a career around understanding people and finding ways to help them. 

Now a new member of staff at ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿, Michael joins as Senior Lecturer in Psychology and Link Tutor for International Partnerships (UAE), bringing more than two decades of policing experience alongside his academic and counselling work. 

In this interview, Michael reflects on his career in policing, including detective work, safeguarding, sexual assault investigations and the development of evidence-based policing. 

He discusses how those experiences led him towards psychology and counselling, and how he now brings that real-world experience into his teaching. He also talks about his work supporting international partnerships in the Middle East and offers advice to students beginning their university journeys. 

From policing to psychology: a career shaped by people 

His route into higher education was not a conventional one. Whilst studying history at university, Michael was first a volunteer police officer from 1993, and then a full-time paid officer from 1995. He later moved into later moving into detective roles and working on major crime, safeguarding and sexual assault investigations. He was also involved in Operation Soteria, a national programme that sought to improve the police response to sexual assault through a more survivor-focused approach. 

The work exposed him to some of the most difficult experiences people can face. 

“The public probably don't get to see how much police officers are exposed to. You might be dealing with the family of someone who has been murdered or supporting someone who has experienced a traumatic event.” 

Those experiences helped shape his interest in psychology, mental health and counselling. He has worked in private counselling practice for around four years and is currently training to become a clinical supervisor. 

His interest also has a family connection. His mother became a counsellor having left school at 14 without qualifications, later returning to university and gaining the qualifications she needed. 

“I've seen people at some of the worst moments of their lives, whether that's through policing or counselling, and I've become increasingly interested in understanding what can help people.” 

Bringing policing into the classroom 

During his policing career, Michael became increasingly interested in evidence-based policing – using research to understand what actually works, rather than relying solely on tradition or professional instinct. 

That led to closer links between his police work and universities, and eventually to a move into police education. He helped develop one of the first pioneering degree apprenticeship programmes for police officers. 

His experience as a practitioner remains central to his teaching. 

“There is a huge value in having someone who has actually done the job saying, ‘This is what this means in practice’.” 

At Bath Spa, he is bringing that applied approach to psychology. His research has focused on missing people, including the psychology and decision-making involved in investigations. Previously, students have used real-world evidence such as CCTV, social media and financial transactions to piece together cases and make decisions. 

For Michael, the key is encouraging students to become reflective practitioners – people who can apply theory, make decisions and think critically about what they have done. 

Technology has also transformed the work of policing. Almost every crime can now generate digital evidence, creating huge opportunities for investigators but also enormous amounts of information to process. 

Michael believes this makes evidence-based approaches increasingly important. 

“It's easy to pick up the local drug dealer on the street corner. But what's driving that criminal behaviour? How do we understand the structures behind it?” 

Connecting students across borders 

Alongside his teaching role, Michael is a Link Tutor for International Partnerships, supporting relationships with institutions delivering Bath Spa programmes overseas. 

He has particular experience of partnership education and has recently worked with an international partner. He sees the Middle East as an exciting environment for higher education, with growing demand for programmes and strong interest in the experience of studying for a British university qualification. 

He is also interested in the cultural opportunities that international partnerships bring:

“You see a very different environment. These countries have grown enormously and there is a growing middle class and an increasing demand for higher education.” 

For Michael, whether working with students in Bath or supporting international partnerships in the Middle East, the underlying purpose is the same: creating opportunities for people to learn, develop and find their own direction. 

“Back yourself” 

That is the message Michael wants to give students beginning their university journey. 

“You don't have to know exactly what you want to do right now. It's okay not to know.” 

He encourages students to take advantage of placements and work experience, which can help them discover what interests them, while also recognising the importance of independent learning and critical thinking. 

His final piece of advice is simple: ask for help:

“If you're struggling, tell someone. There is support available, whether that's counselling, academic support or simply talking to someone. You don't have to deal with everything on your own.” 

Michael begins teaching undergraduates in the new academic term in September, and his new book: How to Become a Counsellor, with Palgrave, will also be published then.