Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive

Aston University is seeking an outstanding Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive to provide ambitious leadership through the University’s next phase of delivery, growth and global impact.

With a proud heritage as the UK’s first College of Advanced Technology in 1956, Aston became a distinctive, values-led university in 1966. The University has a clear mission: to transform lives through education, research and innovation that delivers real-world impact. Renowned for employability, applied learning, business engagement and social mobility, Aston today stands on a strong platform following a period of significant progress and transformation.

The University is organised across three Colleges: Business and Social Sciences, home to its triple-accredited Business School; Engineering and Physical Sciences; and Health and Life Sciences, including a growing Medical School. These are complemented by expanding Aston Online and Aston Professional offers, all focused on applied, industry-relevant education and research. Aston’s academic model is deliberately practical, outward-facing, and aligned with the needs of students, employers, and society.

Aston is extending its reach through a developing network of global academic hubs, including Aston University London and international locations such as Egypt and Dubai, alongside partnerships across Europe, Asia and the Middle East. These hubs reflect Aston’s strategic focus on growth, diversification and global engagement, providing platforms for high-quality education, industry collaboration and international partnership.

Following a period of decisive leadership, Aston now seeks a Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive who can build on this momentum. You will lead the continued delivery and evolution of the Aston 2030 Strategy, designed to deliver a step change in the University’s global reach, reputation and impact. You will bring the experience, judgment and leadership required to translate ambition into measurable success.

Leading confidently in a changing UK and global higher education environment, you will sustain momentum while exercising the ability to prioritise, sequence and reshape activity to ensure focus, resilience and long-term sustainability. This is a role requiring strategic clarity, sound judgment and disciplined execution.

You will bring credible academic leadership and a strong commitment to educational excellence, equitable opportunity and outstanding student outcomes. You will champion applied, impactful research and innovation, strengthen links with industry and employers, and ensure Aston’s graduates are digitally fluent and workplace-ready. Aston works with leading organisations such as Capgemini and Microsoft, alongside a wide range of regional, national and international partners, and you will build on these relationships to further enhance impact and opportunity.

As Aston’s principal ambassador, you will build influential relationships with business, government, healthcare partners, civic leaders and benefactors, strengthening the University’s profile locally, nationally and internationally. Central to the role is a visible commitment to Birmingham and the West Midlands, including Aston’s role within the Birmingham Innovation Quarter, alongside an ambition to extend the University’s global presence.

We are seeking a leader with gravitas and integrity, and the ambition and emotional intelligence to inspire confidence, bring people with them and lead effectively through change.

This is a rare opportunity to lead an ambitious, entrepreneurial and socially committed university that makes opportunity real, locally and globally.

Closing Date – Noon, 16^th February 2026

Further information is avaliable via the 'Apply' button above.

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