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President and Vice-Chancellor

Photograph of Professor Wendy Larner
Vice-Chancellor, Professor Wendy Larner FRSNZ FAcSS PFHEA FNZGS

The President and Vice-Chancellor is the University's chief executive officer, with formal and wide-ranging responsibilities for the leadership and management of the University.

Professor Wendy Larner took up the post of President and Vice-Chancellor on 1 September 2023.

She was previously Provost at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand (2015-2023). She moved to Wellington from the University of Bristol, where she had been Dean of Social Sciences and Law and Professor of Human Geography (2005-2015). She was Lecturer and then Senior Lecturer at the University of Auckland (1997-2004). She has also been a Fulbright Fellow at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a Distinguished Visiting Fellow at Queen Mary, and a Guest Professor at the University of Frankfurt.

An internationally respected social scientist, her interdisciplinary research has transformed understandings of neoliberalism and globalisation. Amongst other awards, she is a recipient of the UK Royal Geographical Society’s Victoria Medal for research excellence, New Zealand’s Women of Influence Award for Innovation and Science, and the New Zealand Distinguished Geographer Medal. She actively supports and champions early career colleagues, and is committed to enhancing equity and diversity in the wider research sector.

In 2018 Professor Larner became the second-ever female President of the Royal Society Te Apārangi and is the first-ever female Vice-Chancellor at Cardiff University.

Memberships

  • Fellow, Royal Society Te Apārangi
  • Fellow, Academy of Social Sciences UK
  • Fellow, Royal Geographical Society
  • Fellow, New Zealand Geographical Society
  • Principal Fellow, Advance HE

Responsibilities

As the University's Chief Executive Officer, Professor Larner has responsibility for:

  • overall leadership and management of the University
  • overall financial and academic vitality of the University
  • promoting and advocating the University globally, nationally, and locally
  • upholding excellent standards of accountability across the University, and excellent standards of corporate governance
  • as the Accountable Officer, being personally accountable to the governing body and to government for the University’s affairs.

She is also Chair of the following committees and groups:

  • University Executive Board
  • Senate
  • Academic Promotions Committee
  • Budget and Planning Review Group

Contact details

Personal Assistant

Sunita Farnham