Dr.  Deborah Bell is a Lecturer in International Initial Teacher Training (IITT) in the School of Education at the University of Sunderland, United Kingdom. Her research include support mechanisms for distance learning students, and she is currently collaborating on a paper exploring support mechanisms for students. This research was awarded Vice Chancellor Teaching Fellowship Award in 2024-25. Deborah completed a professional doctorate titled Collapsing Hierarchies and Dissolving Dichotomies in Higher Education through Subject Specific Communities of Practice. Her research examined the working relationships between academic and administrative staff in a Higher Education Institution (HEI) in England.