Sheila Cross, an influential university careers adviser and Open University social studies tutor for 36 years, has died at the age of 82 from cancer. A feminist, she was instrumental in developing some of the earliest women's studies courses for Durham University in the early 1970s.
In the mid-70s, Ms Cross tutored on the New Opportunities for Women courses at Durham and Newcastle universities, a role she reportedly found most rewarding. She later became a careers adviser at Sunderland Polytechnic in 1981, researching mature graduates' experiences and developing courses.
Ms Cross was a member of the Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services (Agcas), now known as the Graduate Futures Institute, and received a lifetime achievement award from the organisation in 2009. She also helped establish a women's action group and a campaign to improve access to abortion services in Cleveland.