MEET
THE TEAM
Professor Roderick Watkins
Vice Chancellor, Anglia Ruskin University and Chair, Arc Universities Group
Professor Roderick Watkins was appointed Vice Chancellor of Anglia Ruskin University in February 2019. He first joined Anglia Ruskin in 2014, as Pro Vice Chancellor and Dean of Arts, Law and Social Sciences, before being appointed Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research and Innovation) in 2015. Prior to joining ARU, he was Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities at Canterbury Christ Church University, where he was appointed Professor of Composition and Contemporary Music in 2005. He was a member of the Advisory Group for Lord Stern’s Review of the Research Excellence Framework (2015-16), and the Research England/UUK Working Group developing the Knowledge Exchange Concordat (2018). He was for many years a member of the AHRC Peer Review College, and has wide ranging experience of external examining, peer reviewing and research panel membership. He also has wide ranging experience as a trustee or board member of a number of arts, education and charitable organisations.
Professor David Phoenix
Vice Chancellor, The Open University and Vice-Chair, Arc Universities Group
Professor David Phoenix OBE became Vice-Chancellor of The Open University in July 2025, following over a decade as Vice-Chancellor of London South Bank University and Group Chief Executive of the LSBU Group. A recognised leader in higher education reform, he is known for championing social mobility, technical education, and employer-led learning. A molecular engineer by background, he has published over 250 research papers and holds fellowships with the Royal Academy of Engineering, Academy of Social Sciences, and Royal College of Physicians (Edinburgh). He was awarded an OBE for services to science and higher education.
Prof Helen Laville
Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Oxford Brookes University
Helen is the Vice-Chancellor of Oxford Brookes University, having taken up the role in August 2025. She has senior responsibility for the strategic leadership of the University, building on an extensive track record in enhancing research, improving student outcomes, embedding employability into the curriculum and driving institutional change. Prior to joining Oxford Brookes, Helen was Provost and Deputy Vice-Chancellor at Kingston University, where she led Education, Knowledge Exchange and Research and oversaw the 2023 Teaching Excellence Framework submission, achieving the only institutional move from Bronze to Gold. She has also held senior leadership positions at Manchester Metropolitan University and the University of Birmingham, where she began her academic career. Helen is a Principal Fellow of Advance HE, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and a Trustee of Hospice UK.
Prof Anthony Woodman
Pro-Vice-Chancellor, University of Hertfordshire
Anthony is the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Hertfordshire, having taken up the role in September 2025. He has senior responsibility for the strategic leadership of the University, with a clear focus on transforming lives through education, enhancing graduate employability, and strengthening Hertfordshire’s role as a driver of social mobility and innovation. Prior to joining Herts, Anthony was Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Provost at the University of West London, where he oversaw Education, Research and Enterprise and helped shape a strong institutional focus on student experience and outcomes. His academic background is in translational medicine, with research expertise in molecular oncology and the development of diagnostic and prognostic platforms for cancer care, conducted in collaboration with major pharmaceutical companies. Anthony has also held leadership roles in international research and clinical training, including as Chief Executive of ICRI Global Research. He is committed to championing impactful research, regional partnerships and inclusive growth, and is leading the launch of the Hertfordshire Medical School in 2026.
Dr Cathy Smith
Dean of Research & Knowledge Exchange, University of Northampton
Dr Cathy Smith is an Associate Professor in History at the University of Northampton, specialising in heritage, place, and public history. Her research explores how communities engage with the past and how history informs identity and regeneration. Cathy leads projects connecting academic research with civic and cultural partners, and she plays an active role in shaping inclusive approaches to heritage. She is also a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and a passionate advocate for widening participation in historical research.CERI
Professor Karen Holford CBE
Chief Executive and Vice-Chancellor, Cranfield University.
Professor Karen Holford CBE is Chief Executive and Vice-Chancellor at Cranfield University. She was previously Deputy Vice-Chancellor at Cardiff University. In 2018, Karen received a CBE for services to engineering and the advancement of women in engineering, and in 2019 received the Suffrage Science award in Physical Sciences and Engineering. As Chief Executive and Vice-Chancellor at Cranfield University, Karen serves on the Oxford-Cambridge Arc Leaders Group, Midlands Innovation University Partnership Board, and Universities UK Policy Group on Security.
Professor Rebecca Bunting
Vice Chancellor and Chief Executive, University of Bedfordshire
Professor Rebecca Bunting took office as Interim Vice Chancellor at the University of Bedfordshire in January 2020. Prior to that she was formerly the Vice Chancellor at Bucks New University. Professor Bunting is a founding director of the Higher Education Academy and of its successor organisation, Advance HE. She is also the Chair of a number of national HE committees for learning and teaching, and widening participation. She has conducted research and published in the field of children’s language and literacy development, educational linguistics and pedagogy. She graduated from Girton College, University of Cambridge with a degree in English Literature and took postgraduate qualifications at London University. She began her career teaching in London comprehensive schools, moving into higher education as a Senior Lecturer at the University of Roehampton. She later became Dean of Education at Anglia Ruskin University and Pro-Rector at the University of Northampton. From there she moved to the University of Portsmouth in 2004 as Pro Vice Chancellor and from 2007 as Deputy Vice Chancellor.
Professor Patrick Grant
Vesuvius Chair of Materials, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research, University of Oxford
Patrick has been the Vesuvius Professor of Materials since 2004, Deputy Head of the Mathematical Physical and Life Sciences Division from 2012-14, and was Head of the Department of Materials 2015-2018. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering in 2010. His research concerns the manufacture of super-capacitors and batteries, three-dimensional printing, and new alloys for cleaner power generation. He was a founding academic of the Begbroke Science Park and is a non-executive director of Oxford University Innovation. As Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research he works closely with Oxford colleagues to create an environment conducive to world-leading applied and curiosity-driven research, and with external funders to help realise our joint research ambitions. Professor Grant chairs the Research and Innovation Committee and is the University’s academic lead for the 2021 Research Excellence Framework.
Professor Sir John Aston
Pro-Vice-Chancellor, University of Cambridge
Professor Sir John Aston is Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research at the University of Cambridge, where he provides senior academic leadership on research strategy and culture across the institution. He is Harding Professor of Statistics in Public Life within the Department of Pure Mathematics and Mathematical Statistics, and a Fellow of Churchill College. An applied statistician, his research focuses on the use of quantitative evidence in public policy, working to ensure robust methods are applied to inform debate and decision-making. He has held a number of senior national roles, including Chief Scientific Adviser to the Home Office from 2017–2020, Director-General for Science, Technology, Analysis, Research and Strategy, and founding director of the Alan Turing Institute. He is currently a non-Executive Board Member of the UK Statistics Authority, a member of the London Policing Board, and will serve as President of the Royal Statistical Society in 2025–26. Elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 2024, he was knighted in the 2021 Birthday Honours for services to statistics and public policymaking. Prof Sir Aston has previously held academic posts at the University of Warwick and Academia Sinica in Taiwan. At Cambridge, he is focused on fostering a supportive research culture and leading cross-disciplinary initiatives to tackle global challenges and maximise the positive impact of Cambridge’s research on society.
Professor Damien Page
Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Buckinghamshire New University,
Professor Damien Page joined Buckinghamshire New University in 2023, bringing a wealth of experience in education, leadership, and research. Beginning his career in advertising and recruitment, he transitioned into Further Education as a Lecturer at Lewisham College, teaching English and communications before moving into leadership. There, he oversaw a diverse portfolio of courses, from Access to entry-level construction, and spearheaded e-learning innovations such as the Academy of e-Business. He then joined the Linking London Lifelong Learning Network at Birkbeck, University of London, where he developed pathways between Further and Higher Education and led teaching and transition innovation projects. This was followed by a move to the University of Greenwich as a Senior Lecturer in post-compulsory teacher education, later progressing to Head of the Department of Education and Community Studies. As Dean of the Carnegie School of Education at Leeds Beckett University, he developed a strategy rooted in social justice and inclusion. He later became Dean of the Faculty of Education, Health and Wellbeing at the University of Wolverhampton, serving as a full member of the university’s Executive and Executive Lead for Research and Knowledge Exchange. Alongside his leadership roles, he is an active researcher with a focus on organisational behaviour in education settings.
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