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Professor Susan Rigby appointed Vice-Chancellor of Bath Spa University

Friday, 6 October, 2017

Bath Spa University is very pleased to announce the appointment of Professor Susan Rigby as its next Vice-Chancellor.

Professor Rigby will join Bath Spa from the University of Lincoln where she is Deputy Vice-Chancellor with responsibility for student development. She is a palaeontologist by background and having worked as an academic at Cambridge, Leicester and Edinburgh universities, she moved into senior management, first as Assistant Principal and then Vice Principal at the University of Edinburgh. She is also an HEA Principal Fellow.

Speaking about her appointment Professor Rigby said: “I am delighted and honoured to be joining the creative community of scholars and makers that is Bath Spa University.  It is a privilege to join such a distinctive and effective University, and I look forward to helping staff and students achieve their ambitions for themselves and for the institution.”

Bath Spa University is ranked as one of the top six creative universities in the UK by Which? University. In recent years, the University has flourished and is becoming widely recognised as a centre of excellence for creativity, culture and enterprise. It is a place where talent is nurtured and students are supported in their efforts to excel creatively.

Terence Jagger, Chair of Bath Spa University’s Board of Governors said of Professor Rigby’s appointment: "We are delighted that Sue will be joining us as Vice-Chancellor. She has wide experience in the sector, and a passionate interest in the work we do at Bath Spa, focusing on creativity, culture and enterprise. She will bring energy, ideas and enthusiasm, and will build on Bath Spa's excellence in the creative and liberal arts, its focus on students, and its strong international outlook."

Bath Spa University began the search for a new Vice-Chancellor in the summer of 2017 following the announcement of Professor Christina Slade’s departure after five years of service. Professor Nick Foskett was appointed Interim Vice-Chancellor and will remain in post to ensure a smooth transition to his successor.

Professor Rigby will join Bath Spa University on 22 January 2018.