Professor Julian Chaudhuri, our Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education), will be retiring from the University of Bath at the end of June 2026. Professor Chaudhuri became Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education) of the University of Bath in December 2021, having been Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the University of Plymouth where he was responsible for Education & Student Experience.
In his tenure as PVC (Education), Julian has led a range of major strategic projects, working closely with staff and student representatives across the University. This included ensuring the delivery of Curriculum Transformation, the University's largest-ever transformation project, renewing undergraduate and postgraduate taught courses institution-wide.
Professor Chaudhuri also led Bath's submission to the 2023 Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF), securing a triple Gold rating — the highest possible — in recognition of Bath’s outstanding education, student experience and student outcomes. He has taken a data-driven approach to education enhancement, including establishing Education Annual Review and Enhancement (EARE), and a rolling system of Education Action Plans, enabling departments to respond in an agile way to data releases such as the National Student Survey and degree outcomes. This foundational work strengthens Bath’s position for the future.
In addition, Julian established and chaired the University's first institution-wide review of its entire course portfolio, establishing a methodology and evidence base for new and existing courses. As part of this, a PGT Strategic Review has taken a future-focused look at how postgraduate education at Bath should be developed and the strategic recommendations from this review will strengthen Bath’s offerings in PGT education.
From 2023–2025, Professor Chaudhuri took on the leadership of Internationalisation alongside his Education role. As PVC Education & Global, he worked closely with the International Relations Office, refreshing the Internationalisation Advisory Board, overseeing new transnational education and articulation agreements with several universities and representing Bath on a British Council delegation to Brazil.
Professor Julian Chaudhuri said:
In addition to leading major strategic projects, I am most proud of how I have been able to work collegially with so many talented people. There are so many examples, including sponsoring the innovative inter-institutional MPharm programme in partnership with the University of Plymouth and the NHS, working closely with colleagues in Science. It has also been a pleasure to support key colleagues to establish Bath at the sector vanguard in the responsible adoption of Generative AI in higher education. Whatever we have achieved during my tenure as Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education) has been a result of their commitment and hard work. I have been so pleased to support and guide such a fabulous set of colleagues.
Professor Phil Taylor, Vice-Chancellor and President said:
Professor Chaudhuri has had a long and proud history with the University of Bath, with many achievements over his time with us. There will be plenty of time to celebrate these achievements in the coming months. I know colleagues will join me in thanking Julian for all his contributions and wishing him all the very best for the future.
Professor Chaudhuri first joined the University of Bath as a Lecturer in Biochemical Engineering in 1991, becoming Head of the Department of Chemical Engineering, and Associate Dean (Research) for the Faculty of Engineering & Design. He co-founded the Centre for Extremophile Research (with Mike Danson and David Hough) and the Centre for Regenerative Medicine (with Jonathan Slack and Melanie Welham) and served as its Deputy Director for seven years. Julian went on to become Executive Dean for the Faculty of Engineering & Informatics at the University of Bradford and has also lectured at the University of Birmingham, in addition to his Deputy Vice-Chancellor role at the University of Plymouth.
Arrangements for recruiting a successor will be put in place over the weeks to come.