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New Vice Chancellor begins as UEL heads towards 2012

Monday 1 February 2010

Vice-Chancellor Patrick McGhee

The University of East London has a new Vice-Chancellor, Professor Patrick McGhee, who started his role today.

Professor McGhee, 47, is one of the youngest Vice-Chancellors in the UK and a graduate of the universities of Glasgow and Oxford. Prior to moving to UEL he was Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the University of Central Lancashire.

 

"I am passionate about education and its potential to transform people’s lives.  I believe UEL is well placed to lead that agenda nationally and internationally over the next decade. The University has a proud history in this area and we must continue to promote educational opportunities for those who might otherwise be excluded."

Born in Glasgow, Professor McGhee was the first member of his family to attend university. He is a Chartered Health Psychologist, and has written extensively on psychology, learning and higher education.  Last year, Professor McGhee was a winner of a National Teaching Fellowship from the HE Academy.

Professor McGhee said: “I am delighted and honoured to be taking up the position of Vice-Chancellor at the University of East London.  The University has huge opportunities ahead and I look forward to listening to the views of staff and students on how we develop as an institution to realise our full potential. There is no doubt the sector faces challenging times but at UEL we face those challenges with confidence, given the energy and talent of our staff, the drive and ambition of our students, our commitment to academic excellence, our unique location and our strong financial footing.  The diversity of our student community is a particular source of energy and dynamism.”

Widely travelled, Professor McGhee has also helped develop international partnerships world-wide including in China, the US and Russia. Nationally, he is also a member of the HEFCE Teaching Quality and Student Experience Committee and the Higher Education Advisory Panel for the Sector Skills Council for Lifelong Learning.

Professor McGhee sees London 2012 as a significant opportunity. “There is no doubt that the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games are a hugely exciting development and one which will help raise the university’s profile even further. However, I am particularly keen to ensure that there is a real legacy for the people of East London. As a university we will work in close partnership with other key players to ensure that the communities who host the 2012 Games will in time, by virtue of that legacy, be able to secure the same social and economic chances as their neighbours across London”.

He also fully supports the role of UEL has been playing in the Thames Gateway.  "I believe that the economic development of the region is a key to unlocking the potential of our communities."

Professor McGhee believes that while universities can and do make significant practical contributions to society, their role is much wider. "My vision of a university is one which includes both research and teaching, and which covers a broad spectrum of disciplines.  I further believe that while education rightly serves to boost employability and enterprise, and applied research can demonstrate benefits for industry and business, learning and research are worth doing for their own sake.  It is part of human nature to learn and explore and universities have a historically unique role in promoting that kind of intellectual endeavour."

Notes to Editors

The University of East London (UEL) is a global learning community with over 28,000 students from over 120 countries world-wide. Our vision is to achieve recognition, both nationally and internationally, as a successful and inclusive regional university proud of its diversity, committed to new modes of learning which focus on students and enhance their employability, and renowned for our contribution to social, cultural and economic development, especially through our research and scholarship. We have a strong track-record in widening participation and working with industry.

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