Professor Andrew Wathey, CBE has
announced his intention to step down as Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of
Northumbria University, Newcastle, on 1st May 2022.
The
University’s Board of Governors, led by Dr Roberta Blackman-Woods, Chair of the
Board and Pro-Chancellor, will now begin the process of appointing the next
Vice-Chancellor.
Professor Wathey was
appointed to Northumbria as Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive in 2008. He held
posts at Oxford and Cambridge before moving to Royal Holloway University of
London in 1989, where he was appointed Professor of Music History in 1999,
Vice-Principal in 2003 and subsequently Senior Vice-Principal. In 2016
Professor Wathey was recognised in the New Year Honours list for services to
Higher Education. Over the course of his time as Vice-Chancellor, Professor
Wathey has served on a number of national HE sector bodies and committees and
is currently a Board member of the Student Loans Company and the Quality
Assurance Agency.
An honour to have played a part in the
University’s transformation
In a
statement to staff, Professor Wathey said: “It has been an unparalleled privilege
to lead this great University, to work alongside brilliant and committed
colleagues and students, and to collaborate with our world-class partners, here
in the UK and globally. Northumbria has transformed into a vibrant realisation
of its ambition to be a research-rich, business-focussed, professional
university, a new kind of excellent university taking on tomorrow, and stands
ready to take on the opportunities and challenges of a post-pandemic future. It
has been an honour to have played a part in this transformation.”
Professor
Wathey added that his retirement would provide a chance to explore new
opportunities to contribute to higher education and public life, while pursuing
his own academic interests in musicology.
Commenting on the Vice-Chancellor’s announcement, Dr
Blackman-Woods, said: “Andrew
Wathey has been an outstanding Vice-Chancellor during his tenure at the
University of Northumbria. He has overseen a hugely successful transformation
of the University into one that is widely recognised as being a challenger
institution, well placed to address the demands and opportunities of the
future. He set a truly ambitious vision and strategy for the University, and
during his tenure the University’s research, its approach to access, and the
professionalism and the strength of its academic community have been
transformed, alongside developments in the estate. As a strong advocate of partnership and
collaboration, he has driven the University’s economic, social and cultural
contribution to the North East. Northumbria’s international activity, reach
and global prominence have also grown rapidly, with partnerships and
collaborative agreements across the globe. Professor Wathey has made an enormous
contribution to securing a very positive future for Northumbria University, to
supporting the Higher Education sector more widely both nationally and
internationally, and to the region locally. He will be hugely missed by staff,
students and external partners.’
