Vice-Chancellor

St Mary's University, Twickenham is seeking an exceptional leader to serve as its next Vice-Chancellor.

Following the celebration of our 175th anniversary in 2025, and as we continue to deliver our Vision 2030, St Mary's is looking to the future with confidence, ambition and a clear sense of purpose. Founded in 1850, St Mary's remains committed to the mission of the Catholic Church in higher education. That mission is expressed not in narrowness, but in a generous and outward-looking understanding of education.

Today, St Mary's is a university of growing strength and momentum. The University holds a Gold rating for Student Experience in the 2023 Teaching Excellence Framework, was placed 2nd in London for academic support in the 2025 National Student Survey, and has continued its rise in the Complete University Guide, moving into the top 70 nationally. Alongside this, St Mary's is entering an exciting period of strategic development, including the expansion of online programmes, the opening of its new School of Medicine in September 2026, and the development of its first international campus.

The Board is seeking a Vice-Chancellor who can lead St Mary's with wisdom, courage and sound judgement through a period of opportunity and challenge for higher education. The successful candidate will provide clear strategic leadership, sustain academic excellence, strengthen financial resilience, and represent the University with credibility and distinction across the sector, the Church and wider public life.

As a Catholic university, St Mary's is seeking a Vice-Chancellor who is a practising Catholic, involved in the life of the Church. This is an occupational requirement of the role. At the same time, St Mary's is and must remain an open and welcoming university community in which all are treated with dignity, respect and generosity of spirit.

This is a rare opportunity to lead a distinctive and values-led university whose mission remains deeply relevant and whose future holds considerable promise.