Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer

The University of Buckingham is the UK’s first independent university and the only institution to be granted  a Royal Charter outside the state-funded sector. As we mark our 50th anniversary, Buckingham is entering a pivotal new phase in its development. With c.3,700 students and a longstanding reputation for personalised education, academic freedom and innovation, the University holds a distinctive position within UK higher education.

The University has invested significantly in its academic environment, digital capability and estate in recent years, including the growth of our pioneering Medical School and the expansion of new programmes in business, computing, security and intelligence. At the same time, the wider higher education landscape is undergoing profound change, and Buckingham faces the same structural pressures affecting the sector: rising costs, student recruitment challenges, and increasing regulatory demands.

Against this backdrop, the University is seeking to appoint a Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer. As the University’s academic and executive leader, the Vice-Chancellor will work closely with Council and the Executive to shape and deliver a compelling strategy that secures long-term financial sustainability, redefines Buckingham’s competitive position, and ensures academic excellence across all areas. They will be a visible, engaging presence across our closeknit community, while also acting as the principal external ambassador for the University - strengthening partnerships, diversifying income, and further developing Buckingham’s reputation for innovation, agility and excellence.

The Vice-Chancellor will lead transformative organisational change, modernising operating models, improving governance and data capability, and strengthening teaching quality, research performance and the student experience. They will ensure the University is equipped to thrive in an increasingly competitive and digitally enabled sector, championing new markets, international partnerships and entrepreneurship, while preserving the personalised, student-centred ethos that has defined Buckingham for five decades.

As Buckingham moves through a moment of real challenge and opportunity, we seek a Vice‑Chancellor who can steward a distinctive institution with courage, imagination and care. This is a role for a leader who can guide a small, values‑driven university through profound external pressures while safeguarding the qualities that make Buckingham unique

Closing date: Monday 13 April 2026.

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