The Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education) from 1 December 2021 will be Professor Julian Chaudhuri, following approval of the appointment by Council with the support of Senate.
Many colleagues will recall Professor Chaudhuri from his time at the University of Bath in our Department of Chemical Engineering. He re-joins Bath from the University of Plymouth, where he is Deputy Vice-Chancellor, responsible for Education & Student Experience.
Professor Chaudhuri will be responsible for leading on the University’s Education Strategy, working in close collaboration with the Faculties, School and colleagues across our University community.
As Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Education & Student Experience, at Plymouth he has responsibility for all aspects of education and experience for 18,500 students. He is a Fellow of the Institution of Chemical Engineers and a Professor of Biochemical & Biomedical Engineering.
During his time at Bath, Professor Chaudhuri joined as a Lecturer in Chemical Engineering, becoming Head of the Department of Chemical Engineering, and Associate Dean (Research) for the Faculty of Engineering & Design. In 2003 he co-founded Bath's Centre for Regenerative Medicine and served as its Deputy Director for seven years.
Professor Ian White, Vice-Chancellor and President, said: “I am delighted to be able to welcome Professor Chaudhuri back to Bath to take up the new Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education) position. As someone who themselves returned to Bath after working elsewhere I know Julian understands what a wonderful community we have here.
“This role is going to be a vital one for Bath’s strategic development, and I am extremely pleased to have been able to appoint someone of Julian’s calibre to the position.”
Professor Julian Chaudhuri said: “I am both humbled and delighted to be taking up this exciting position. Education and the student experience at Bath are incredibly strong, and complement the University’s research and its dynamic student community. My history with Bath, both personal and professional, gives me particular satisfaction in this new role. I look forward to working with the staff and students at Bath to continue its journey as a leading university.”
Julian was previously Executive Dean for the Faculty of Engineering & Informatics at the University of Bradford and has also lectured at the University of Birmingham.
He took his undergraduate degree in Biochemical Engineering at UCL before a PhD at the University of Reading, and his research is in tissue engineering, at the interface between engineering, biological sciences and medicine. Specifically, his work has addressed the development of biodegradable biomaterials and bioreactor systems for stem cell culture and three-dimensional tissue engineering.