Professor Mark E. Smith (Chair)
Professor Mark E. Smith is the President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Southampton. As President and Vice-Chancellor, he is the Chief Executive of the University and has overall responsibility for its operations. He took up this role on 1 October 2019. Professor Smith was Vice-Chancellor at Lancaster University from January 2012 until September 2019. He was previously Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of Warwick.
Throughout his academic career, he has published more than 380 papers about advanced magnetic resonance techniques, helping to understand a range of problems in the field of materials physics. He is currently a member of the executive group overseeing the National High Field Solid-State NMR Facility at the University of Warwick.
In addition to his role as President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Southampton, he holds a number of external appointments, including Senior Independent Member of UKRI EPSRC’s Council, and board member of the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales, chairing their Research Wales Committee. He also chairs UKRI’s Financial Sustainability of Research Group and was the former Chair of the University and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA,) 2016-2022. He has also served on the Boards of Jisc, HESA and HESCU.
He was awarded a CBE for Services to Research and Higher Education in the 2019 Queen’s Birthday Honours.
Professor Steve Decent
Professor Steve Decent joined Glasgow Caledonian University as Principal and Vice-Chancellor in January 2023. Professor Decent also chairs Universities Scotland’s Research and Knowledge Exchange Committee.
He joined Glasgow Caledonian from his position of Provost and Deputy Vice-Chancellor at Manchester Metropolitan University. Previously he was Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research and Enterprise) and later Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Academic Development) at Lancaster University, and Vice-Principal and Head of College of the College of Art, Science and Engineering at the University of Dundee.
Having graduated with a BSc in Mathematics at Brunel University and a PhD at the University of St Andrews, Professor Decent moved to the University of Birmingham as a Research Fellow in 1995, followed by being a lecturer, before becoming Professor of Applied Mathematics and later the Head of School of Mathematics. He then took on the additional role of Director of Research and Knowledge Transfer in the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences. Professor Decent is a Fellow of the Institute of
Mathematics and its Applications, and specialises in research on free-surface flows, including liquid jets and water waves. He also has a keen interest in hydrogen fuel cells.
Professor Yusra Mouzughi (Co-optee)
Professor Yusra Mouzughi is the first female Provost of the University of Birmingham, leading the academic vision and strategic direction of its Dubai campus—the first global top 100 and UK Russell Group university to establish a presence in the UAE. With over 24 years of experience in higher education and 5 years in blue-chip industry roles, she is a dynamic and forward-thinking academic leader with a proven track record of institutional transformation and cross-cultural impact. Yusra has played a pivotal role in the initiation, successful launch and development of multiple universities across the Middle East, bringing global standards to regional contexts. Her leadership has shaped new institutions from concept to accreditation, building academic frameworks, governance structures, and strategic partnerships that ensure long-term sustainability and relevance.
Yusra has held senior leadership roles across the GCC, including President of the Royal University for Women in Bahrain and Vice Chancellor of Muscat University in Oman, where she made history as the first female head of a university in the country. Her leadership is defined by delivering strategic growth and academic excellence across diverse markets, championing research, building strong industry-academia linkages and advocating for equity, inclusion, and women’s leadership in higher education Educated in the UK, she holds a PhD in Knowledge Management, an MBA, and a Bachelors in Business & Management. She is a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and serves on several prestigious international boards including the UAE UK Embassy Growth Partnership Board, UAE Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research Advisory Board, shaping global standards in quality assurance and academic governance.
Yusra continues to contribute to research, examines doctoral candidates, and is a sought-after keynote speaker at international conferences. English/Arabic bi-lingual, Yusra has a unique ability to bridge Western and Arab educational contexts making her a powerful advocate for globally relevant, locally impactful education.
Professor Elwen Evans, KC
Professor Elwen Evans, KC, is Vice-Chancellor of the University of Wales, the University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) and the UWTSD Group, a dual sector structure comprising Coleg Sir Gâr and Coleg Ceredigion as constituent colleges.
Professor Evans read Law at Girton College, Cambridge, graduating with a double first: M.A. (Cantab). On graduating she attended the Inns of Court School of Law and was called to the Bar by Gray’s Inn in 1980. She was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 2002.
Professor Evans has enjoyed a very successful career as a barrister, choosing to practice mainly in Wales. She has undertaken a wide range of legal work, specialising in criminal law at trial and appellate levels. She sits as a Crown Court Recorder having been appointed in 2001. She was Head of Iscoed Chambers for over 15 years prior.
In 2015 she was appointed Head of the College of Law & Criminology at Swansea where she was responsible for establishing the Hillary Rodham Clinton School of Law. In 2020, she was appointed Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Executive Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences and is credited with having led the successful growth of the Faculty during this period.
She has served on a wide range of external bodies and committees reflecting her areas of professional experience and interest including as a Board Member of Advance HE,
The Law Commission Welsh Committee, Legal Wales, The Lord Chancellor’s standing committee for the Welsh Language; Wales & Chester Circuit; Joint Tribunal of the Bar Council; Gender working monitoring group for the Crown Prosecution Service; Gray’s Inn Election Committee; Court User’s Committee; Local School Governor; Elfed Trust; accredited advocacy trainer and trainer of trainers.
A native Welsh speaker, she is a Bencher of her Inn, has been honoured by Gorsedd y Beirdd for her services to Law in Wales and was a Commissioner on the Commission on Justice in Wales. In 2018, she was included in the top 10 of a list celebrating 100 of Wales’ most inspirational women.
Professor Sam Grogan
Sam Grogan is Pro Vice-Chancellor for Education and Student Experience at Loughborough University. Professor Grogan joined Loughborough University in November 2024. He is responsible for shaping and leading the delivery of a first-class education and student experience at Loughborough University, ensuring all students have the opportunity to develop the skills, knowledges, abilities and connected networks necessary for future success.
Previously to Loughborough, and having followed an early career in the creative industries, Professor Grogan spent the last decade and a half in student-centric leadership positions within a range of UK higher education institutions, focusing upon enabling student success in the context of performance against student quality metrics
to ensure impact and value for money. Drawing on his origins in the creative industries, co-production and collaboration sit as fundamental principles of his leadership.
Alongside his work at Loughborough University, Professor Grogan continues to work as a visible executive leader actively working in numerous regional, national and international networks and partnerships. He builds on a range of external engagements, thought leadership and board experiences across the education sector and beyond to join up and align the activities and presence of Loughborough University with present and future needs of the external environment, particularly around the ongoing position of skills within learning and regional and national productivity. Professor Grogan is a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
Annette Hay
Annette has recently been appointed as the Head of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion at De Montfort University in Leicester. She completed her first Degree in Social Studies at the University of Warwick and later completed her Masters Degree in Leadership and Management at Coventry University. She is also an alumni of Advance HE’s successful, Diversifying Leadership Programme.
De Montfort University is a leading pioneer for EDI initiatives and activities in Higher Education and have recently become the first institutional holders of the Silver Race Equality Chartermark and Annette aims to build on this success by continuing to embed EDI considerations and actions in all aspects of university life for the benefit of all its staff, students and the university as a whole.
Annette is an accomplished manager and leader and who has a demonstrable ability to build and maintain strategic and purposeful relationships and collaborations, on a local, national and global scale. She is recognised for her strategic influence and input on policy, practice and external engagements.
Annette is able to reflect on over 30 years of leadership and activism around EDI, which she has maintained throughout her working career in Higher Education and has been a passionate advocate for the importance institutional leadership has in tackling racial inequalities and embedding anti-racist practices.
She is a member of several other Boards and Committees, including the esteemed American-based ‘National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education’ (NADOHE), which is the leading voice for Senior Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Officers. She is one of the founding members of the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Group for the Association of Research Management and Administration (ARMA), the Vice-Chair of the Belgrade Theatre in Coventry, a member of the Women in Higher Education Network (WHEN) and an alumnus of the International-focused leadership Common Purpose programme.
Janet Legrand KC (Hon)
Janet is the Senior Lay Member of Court at the University of Edinburgh, Chair of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) and a member of the advisory panel of IntoUniversity. A lawyer by profession, Janet is the former Senior Partner, Board Chair and Global Co-Chair of DLA Piper, a global law firm with 90 offices worldwide, where she combined senior leadership roles with an international disputes practice, latterly representing Governments.
Janet has significant governance experience in higher education, in particular from her prior roles on the Audit Committee of the University of Cambridge, as Deputy Chair of City, University of London where she was also a Trustee of the Students’ Union, as Deputy Chair of the Marshall Aid Commemoration Commission and on the Board of the Leadership Foundation for Higher Education. She is an Honorary Fellow of Trinity Hall, Cambridge.
On her appointment as Queen’s Counsel Honoris Causa in 2018, the Lord Chancellor described Janet as “… a pioneer in enhancing the role of women in the law, promoting social mobility, diversity and inclusion within her firm and the wider profession…”
Professor David Mba
Professor David Mba joined Birmingham City University in October 2023 as Vice-Chancellor (VC). David’s role is to lead and develop the strategic vision and aspirations of the University. David has led the development of the University’s Strategy for 2030 and Beyond and works with the University Executive Team to ensure the delivery of itsstrategic ambitions. The VC is accountable to the Chair and Governing Body for all aspects of the University’s activities.
Before joining BCU, David was the Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Research, Knowledge Exchange and Enterprise at the University of the Arts London (UAL). Prior to this, he was Pro Vice-Chancellor, Research and Enterprise, at De Montfort University (DMU), Leicester. Whilst at DMU he also held the post of Pro Vice-Chancellor/Dean for the Faculty of Computing, Engineering, and Media. He has held several other senior positions at universities including Dean of Engineering at London South Bank University, and Associate Dean at Cranfield University’s School of Engineering.
David studied Aerospace Engineering and completed a PhD in Mechanical Engineering at Cranfield University, for which he was awarded the Lord King Norton Gold Medal for the most outstanding doctoral thesis.
David’s research has been funded via numerous commercial, EU and EPSRC projects and he has published more than 300 journal and conference papers.
David is chair of the Birmingham Cultural Compact, co-chair of the Black Leaders in HE network, and a member of the Advance HE Board. He is also a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, and a Principal fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
Professor Joanna Newman
Professor Joanna Newman MBE FSRA joined SOAS as Deputy Director and Provost in September 2023. In her role she provides academic and strategic leadership to support the School’s overall strategy and lead on its Education Strategy 2021-26 that sits at the heart of the Strategic Plan 2021.
Prior to joining SOAS, Joanna became the first female Secretary General of the Association of Commonwealth Universities, an international organisation dedicated to building a better world through higher education, with more than 500 member universities in over 50 countries. In that role she directed the administration of the UK government’s three main international scholarship programmes – Chevening, Commonwealth, and Marshall Scholarships – as well as the multilateral Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholarships.
Her previous roles include serving as the Vice-Principal (International) at King’s College London, where she was instrumental in forging new international research and teaching collaborations; the Director of the UK Higher Education International Unit (now known as Universities UK International), where she led the development of a UK-wide international education strategy; and Head of Higher Education at the British Library.
Joanna serves on a number of boards, including the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network’s Leadership Council, the High-level Advisory Group for Mission 4.7, CARA (the Council for displaced academics) and the QS Global Advisory Committee . She is a Senior Research Fellow in History at King’s College London and contributes to the MA in transnational History. Her most recent publication is Nearly the New World: The British West Indies and the Flight from Nazism, 1933-1945. In 2014, Joanna was awarded an MBE in recognition of her work promoting British higher education internationally.
Professor Karen O’Brien
Professor Karen O’Brien joined Durham University as Vice-Chancellor and Warden in January 2022. As the chief executive, she has overall responsibility for the educational and research mission of England’s third oldest university, reporting to its Council of Trustees. Since joining she has led Durham University through a significant period of strategy renewal, with a focus on key areas of research growth (particularly in the sciences), access and inclusion, financial sustainability, equality and inclusion, and sustainable development goals in both the region and the wider world. She has worked to strengthen Durham’s global reputation and to support research excellence across all disciplines. As VC she engages extensively in national HE policy including as a member of the Russell Group Board. She has also worked with universities, public sector and industry partners greatly to enhance the role Durham plays in the North East region for economic growth and social mobility.
Before joining Durham, she was for five years a member of the senior team at the University of Oxford where she was Head of the Humanities Division. During that time the Division increased its position near or at the top of the global and national league tables, enjoyed unprecedented research grant success, and secured unprecedented levels of philanthropic gifts to endow scholarships, academic posts and key activities. She was the driving force behind the University’s new, £150m Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities. As part of this project, she established a new Institute for the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence. Prior to joining Oxford, she was Vice-Principal for Education at King’s College London, PVC (Education) at the University of Birmingham, and chair of the Russell Group Pro-Vice-Chancellors for Teaching and Learning.
She originally studied at Oxford and at the University of Pennsylvania. She spent most of her earlier career teaching and publishing research, and held academic posts at the universities of Warwick, Cardiff and Cambridge. She is a former Harkness Fellow, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, a Fellow of the English Association, and an Honorary Fellow of Peterhouse, Cambridge, and of St Cross College, Oxford. She has published widely on the literature and intellectual history of the European Enlightenment. Her first book won the British Academy’s Rose Mary Crawshay prize. She is a regular contributor to BBC Radio 4, BBC World Service and other media networks.
Professor John O’Halloran (Co-optee)
Professor John O’Halloran is President of University College Cork. Prior to taking up this role in September 2020, he had served as Deputy President & Registrar since 2018. He led the development and implementation of UCC’s first Academic Strategy setting out plans for reimagining the curriculum, transforming assessment, and nurturing graduate attributes to position students for their future world of work. Having formerly served as Vice-President for Teaching & Learning, and as Vice-Head of the College of Science, Engineering & Food Science, he is an academic leader with an ambitious vision for the future of Higher Education. He is committed to promoting equality, diversity, inclusion and belonging in Higher Education, and is a champion of sustainability and climate action.
As an ecologist, Professor O’Halloran has had a sustained impact on research and education and was elected as a member of the Royal Irish Academy in 2024. He holds the Chair in Zoology at UCC and previously held academic posts at Colby College in the USA and at the University of Wales. He is recognised internationally for his leadership in ecological research. The focus of his research has been on natural resource management and the effects of environmental change on biodiversity and ecosystems. The direction of his research has been shaped by societal needs, and he has won research grants from government, EU and industry sources, supporting policy and practice development.
Alexandra Owen BSc(hons) BFP FCA
Alexandra is a Chartered Accountant and Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accounts England and Wales (ICAEW) and has held the position of Chief Financial Officer (CFO) at Loughborough University since April 2022.
She also holds various non-executive roles, as Vice Chair of the British University Finance Directors Group (BUFDG) since May 2024, and a Governor of Northampton College, a large Further Education College since November 2024.
As Chief Financial Officer of Loughborough University she leads the finance and commercial functions of the university and provides strategic financial advice to the University Executive Board, University Council, Senate and Committees. As well as leading the Finance functions of the University she is responsible for the development and oversight of University Commercial activities including Commercial Subsidiaries and the Loughborough University Science and Enterprise Park (LUSEP) amongst other significant projects.
Prior to working in Higher Education, Alexandra held the post of CFO and Trustee at St Andrews Healthcare, a large Charity in the Mental Healthcare sector. As CFO and Trustee, Alexandra was a member of the Charities Executive Committee and Unitary Board of the Charity, its subsidiaries and joint ventures which were held to account by the Charity’s Court of Governors. Alexandra provided financial leadership to the Executive Committee and Board, took a lead role in the development of the Charities 5-year strategy and the development of key strategic relationships with commissioning bodies and other third parties.
Prior to this Alexandra has held Senior finance roles in various sectors including Welfare to Work, Education (MAT’s and Independent Schools), Commercial organisations and a number of voluntary positions, starting her career in Practice.
Professor David Sadler
David Sadler was appointed to the University of Notre Dame Australia (UNDA) as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academic in April 2024. Previously, David was Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) at the University of Western Australia (UWA) from 2017-2024 and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Students and Education) at the University of Tasmania (UTAS) from 2011 to 2017. David has led many initiatives around physical and digital infrastructure for education, student experience, curriculum renewal, sustainability and especially the educational attainment agenda, leading the Children’s Universities in Western Australia and Tasmania which now operates in Western Australia.
David is a Principal Fellow of Advance HE (PFHEA). He is currently Chair of Universities Australia DVC A Executive and leads UA’s work on academic integrity; teaching recognition and stakeholder relationships with TEQSA. David is also Chair of the Australian Awards (Program Awards) for University Teaching.
In the UK, David was Director (Networks) for the Higher Education Academy and previously Director of the Centre for Sociology, Anthropology and Politics (CSAP) at the University of Birmingham. David is a UK National Teaching Fellow (2005). David’s academic specialism is in crisis decision-making in international security and he worked for the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office as a Senior Research Officer in Arms Control and Disarmament from 1988-1992, embracing many aspects of the end of the Cold War.
David is a life fellow of the RSA and a former Council member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD).
Professor Randall Whittaker
Professor Randall Whittaker is the Principal of Rose Bruford College. South African-born Whittaker studied music at conservatoires in South Africa, the Netherlands and Czechia, where he was a student of the renowned conductor Vladimír Válek. He has more than 20 years of experience in specialist creative higher education, leading significant organisational change and transformation projects.
He worked closely with the Leadership Foundation for Higher Education to advance leadership in specialist institutions and has held positions at specialist institutions in South Africa, the Netherlands and the UK. He is known for his work on representation and frequently writes and presents on the topic.
Whittaker has made a contribution to the activities of several specialist institutions acting in an external or non-executive director capacity; these have recently included the Utrecht School of the Arts, the Northern School of Contemporary Dance, Christies Education and BIMM Institute.
Paul Woodgates
Paul joined the Board in 2021 and became Chair of the Audit, Finance and Risk Committee in 2024.
Paul is an independent consultant and non-executive director in the education sector. He previously built and ran the education consulting practice of PA Consulting internationally. His experience is in delivering major programmes to define strategy, improve academic outcomes, deliver better services, and reduce cost. He has worked extensively with governments, regulators and funding bodies in the education sector in the UK and elsewhere and has worked with more than 30 universities.
He is Deputy Chair of the Board of Governors at De Montfort University, a trustee of the British Council and a Non Executive Director of the Education and Skills Funding Agency. He is a writer and speaker on the challenges of achieving change in universities.
Paul graduated from Durham University with a BA (Hons) in Economics and then qualified as a chartered accountant. He has worked as a consultant, programme leader and change manager in a range of organisations particularly in the public sector.
Professor Parveen Yaqoob
Parveen is currently Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research and Innovation at the University of Reading, with leadership across a broad portfolio of activity. She is responsible for implementing the research strategy, fostering a positive research culture and delivering on research-based key performance indicators and she has played a significant role on national and international research funding panels, particularly in the area of nutrition and health.
She manages several strategic institutional partnerships and is the University’s senior lead for equality, diversity and inclusion. Parveen also has a sector-level presence on equality, diversity and inclusion, having held the role of inaugural Chair of the Athena Swan Governance Committee for three years, overseeing the transformation of the Athena Swan Charter. She was appointed OBE for services to higher education in 2022.
Professor Sue Rigby MA (Oxon) PhD (Cantab) FRSE
Professor Rigby commenced her role as Principal and Vice Chancellor of Edinburgh Napier University in January 2025, after seven years as Vice Chancellor at Bath Spa University.
Sue is a geologist with expertise in palaeobiology however her research interests have shifted to higher education and to cultural compacts, and how strategic oversight of culture is changing in England. Past engagement with learning and teaching has included setting up ‘Making the Most of Masters’, chairing TEF panels, the national Learning Gain Project, and the revision of the Credit Framework for England.
Sue currently sits on the board of the Scottish Funding Council, is the Chair of the An Tobar and Mull Theatre, a Trustee of the Arts and Humanities Research Council, an Honorary Fellow of Emmanuel College, Cambridge, and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. Sue was awarded a CBE in 2026 for services to Higher Education.
