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Professor Charlie Jeffery appointed York's next Vice-Chancellor

Professor Charlie Jeffery CBE appointed York's next Vice-Chancellor

Posted on 1 April 2019

The University of York has appointed Professor Charlie Jeffery CBE as its next Vice-Chancellor and President. Professor Jeffery will take up his new role on 1 September 2019.

Professor Jeffery is currently Senior Vice-Principal at the University of Edinburgh, a role he has served with distinction since 2014. Prior to that, he was Vice-Principal (Public Policy) at the University of Edinburgh, and he has been Professor of Politics at Edinburgh since 2004.

Professor Jeffery's portfolio at Edinburgh spans the development of strategy and policy, including roles in strategic and financial planning, student experience, and internal engagement and communications. He has also had overarching responsibility in external relations, including economic development, widening participation, public affairs and international strategy.

Key achievements include:

Driving interdisciplinary collaborations, including positioning Edinburgh's expertise in data science to underpin a regional economic vision, and negotiating a joint Low Carbon College in Shanghai with Shanghai Jiao Tong University, aligned to Edinburgh's research expertise in low carbon
Playing a pivotal role in the development of the £1.3bn Edinburgh City Deal, that included a £237m Government investment in Edinburgh's Data Science programme
Developing an integrated approach to international engagement to increase student recruitment and generate new strategic and philanthropic partnerships
Driving a holistic cultural change programme to enhance the student experience, encompassing learning and teaching, enhancement of student facing services and facilities, community building, and enabling a stronger student voice
Securing investment into the University estate through innovative collaborative co-investment partnerships to support teaching, research and commercialisation

A wealth of strategic experience

The University of York's Chair of Council, Denise Jagger chaired the appointment committee, which was a Joint Committee of Council and Senate. The Joint Committee made the recommendation to appoint Professor Jeffery to the University Council and this was approved this morning. The appointment process was supported by executive search consultants Perrett Laver.

Denise Jagger said, "We are delighted to welcome Professor Jeffery as our next Vice-Chancellor. Charlie brings with him a wealth of strategic experience, evidence of strong vision and leadership, and a clear commitment to York's founding principles of excellence, equality and opportunity for all, anchored by the highest academic and professional standards.

"There are many challenges - and opportunities - that lie ahead for the higher education sector in the UK. The Council, and the Joint Committee of Council and Senate, felt unanimously that, in appointing Charlie, we are appointing an inspirational leader who can build on the work of our previous Vice-Chancellor, and ensure that York can respond to the challenges ahead with creativity, innovation and determination.

"I am very grateful to Professor Saul Tendler for his leadership in the intervening period since the departure of Professor Koen Lamberts. Saul will continue as Acting Vice-Chancellor and President until Charlie's arrival in September."

Commitment to excellence

Professor Jeffery said, "I am delighted to be joining the University of York as its seventh Vice-Chancellor and President.

"York is a University that stands out for its uncompromising commitment to excellence in both teaching and research, its heritage and record as a University founded to widen participation in higher education, and for the strength of community that links students and staff of all backgrounds in discovering and applying knowledge for public good.

"I am delighted to be joining that community at an exciting time as the University shapes its long-term strategy. It has great strengths across its three Faculties. I am looking forward to working with students, staff and alumni to build on those strengths through the creative collaboration across disciplines for which York is renowned, in partnership with like-minded institutions nationally and internationally, and with the support of alumni and friends around an ambitious Campaign for York.

"My family and I are also looking forward to our move to York and to Yorkshire, a part of the country we don't yet know well and are keen to discover more about."

Professor Saul Tendler, Acting Vice-Chancellor said: "I'm delighted that Professor Charlie Jeffery is coming to York as our next Vice-Chancellor and President. I've known Charlie for a number of years and know he will bring a wealth of experience and expertise to the role. I'm sure you will all join me in welcoming Charlie to York, and I look forward to working with him on the next stages of our University's development."