President and Vice-Chancellor

Professor Lisa Roberts FRSB FRSA

President and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Lisa Roberts took up her post on 1 September 2020.  Prior to this, Professor Roberts was Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research and Innovation at the University of Leeds where she led on the development of the University’s research and innovation strategy.   During this time she led significant increases in the income, quality and impact of research at Leeds. She also led a major step change in how the University worked with business, from start-ups to large corporates; launching a new innovation hub and leading a city-wide team of senior city stakeholders through the MIT Regional Entrepreneurship Acceleration Programme (REAP). Before joining Leeds, Lisa was Executive Dean of the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences at the University of Surrey, leading the Schools of Bioscience and Medicine, Psychology and Health Sciences.  During this time she also developed and launched only the 8^th School of Veterinary Medicine in the UK and developed a successful One Health Strategy with external partnerships being key to its success.

Professor Roberts is a Professor of Virology, having studied for her PhD at the BBSRC Institute for Animal Health (now the Pirbright Institute) and the University of Kent. Earlier in her career, she worked as a Product Development Manager for Procter and Gamble in the UK and Belgium.

She is a Board member of the Russell Group, Jisc and Universities UK. Regionally, she is a member of the GW4 Council, an inaugural Commissioner for the South West Social Mobility Commission, and a Member of the Great South West Partnership Board.  Lisa is the Chair of the IDP Connect Strategic Advisory Board.

From May to September 2022, Lisa was appointed by the Minister of State for Further and Higher Education to chair a working group dedicated to tackling the issue of spiking attacks against students. 

The Role and Responsibilities of the President and Vice-Chancellor

The President and Vice-Chancellor is the University’s Chief Executive Officer, with formal responsibilities for the leadership and management of the University, and is the University's principal representative in its external relations.

As the Accountable Officer to the Office for Students, Professor Roberts has responsibility for:

• overall leadership and management of the University
• overall financial health of the University 
• ensuring the delivery of the University's mission, aims and objectives set out in our Corporate Strategy
• promoting and advocating the University globally, nationally and locally.

The President and Vice-Chancellor is Chair of the following committees and groups:

• University Executive Board
• Senate

The President and Vice-Chancellor is accountable to the Chair of Council, Quentin Woodley. 

The President and Vice-Chancellor meets regularly with the Senior Vice-President and Vice-Presidents, who collectively oversee the University’s Education, Research, Regional and Global strategies and the University’s strategic planning and budgeting processes.

Register of Interests 2022/23