As our Chief Operating Officer prepares for retirement, colleagues have thanked Dr Ghazwa Alwani-Starr for her many contributions since joining the University of Bath in 2023.

As COO, Dr Alwani-Starr has played an instrumental role in the delivery of the University’s ambitions, working closely with colleagues in Campus Infrastructure, Campus Services, DDaT (our Digital, Data and Technology department), the Library, Sports Development & Recreation and Sustainability.

Her leadership has enabled delivery across many areas of the University. Working closely with colleagues in DDaT, including our Chief Digital Officer (CDO), she helped transform ways of working, identify priorities and focus on delivery. Additionally, Ghaz worked closely with the team on our cyber security strategy, delivering a step change to mitigate risk and upskill our colleagues with training and support.

On our estates, Ghaz has worked with Campus Infrastructure colleagues and the wider community to develop an effective long term maintenance programme for the University, and to facilitate ongoing discussions about innovative uses for existing and new spaces on campus and beyond. She has played a leading role in our new student accommodation scheme (R7) through planning, development, design, and stakeholder engagement, which will deliver a strategically important asset for the University in the future. In addition, she brought together academic and professional services colleagues on health and safety, supporting colleagues in this area to continue to deliver on this agenda.

Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Phil Taylor, said:

I’d like to thank Ghaz for her excellent work as COO and for the many contributions she has made in the role. Our professional services and operational colleagues play such a vital role in our success, and Ghaz has worked alongside many of these teams to deliver for the University, including enabling effective management arrangements for some of our key strategic risks and championing our sports operations. I know colleagues will join me as we wish her every happiness in her next adventure.

Dr Ghazwa Alwani-Starr said:

It has been a privilege and a joy to work at Bath. In addition to the progress made on our physical and digital infrastructure and our library services, it has been a delight to see our Campus Services teams continue to thrive and deliver for our students and staff and to contribute to the development of tangible sustainability plans. Of course, all these achievements are shared with not only my COO Directors but by very many colleagues in these teams and beyond. I’ve been so grateful for the talent and professionalism of colleagues at Bath.

I am very proud of my working relationships within the University, students’ union and across the City. I aimed always to have students at the heart of every decision and to represent the University as a trusted and active partner in Bath.

This year, 2026, marks 40 years since I started work. As I thought about retirement, the most important aspect for me was to retire from a role where I was going to miss the job, the colleagues and the institution as soon as I walk out of the door. And this is absolutely the case for my job here at Bath. Many colleagues will become friends for life, and I love that.

Ghaz is a Chartered Civil and Structural Engineer whose career has spanned senior roles in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors. She has extensive experience in Higher Education, both here at Bath and as Chief Operating Officer at Queen Mary University of London. Before that, she was first Director of Property and Facilities Management and then Pro Vice-Chancellor Strategy, Planning and Partnerships for The University of London. Earlier in her career she was Director of Estates and Campus Services at The University of Roehampton.

Dr Ghazwa Alwani-Starr steps down as COO in August 2026 as we welcome Kirsty Shaw, but remains at the University working on our R7 project until the end of this calendar year.