University of Northampton appoints Pro-Vice Chancellor for Education and Student Experience

The University of Northampton is delighted to announce that Alice Wilby will be its new Pro-Vice Chancellor (Education and Student Experience) from 10 February 2025.

As Pro-Vice Chancellor, Alice will develop, lead and champion the University of Northampton’s strategies relating to education, student experience and student futures, overseeing operational delivery and ensuring each strategy is fully embedded throughout the institution.

Alice’s work will involve working closely with the Faculty Deans to design and embed a distinctive curriculum that contributes towards increased student success rates, as well as identifying new opportunities and innovations to deliver an outstanding standard of education at the University of Northampton.

In her career to date, Alice has worked at a senior level – including acting as a Pro-Vice Chancellor – at a number of universities, including University College Birmingham, Oxford Brookes and Wolverhampton, as well as most recently working as a Consultant with Royal Holloway and the University of South Wales.

Alice’s research interests largely focus on how universities can better support students who have taken less traditional Level 3 qualifications – particularly BTECs – to succeed within Higher Education, on which she has recently published a comment piece with WonkHE.

On her appointment, Alice reflected: “In my earlier years of education, I studied at the University of Oxford, arriving there from a working-class family via a comprehensive school in Yorkshire. It was a huge culture shock, and led me to my career focus on changing university intakes and cultures – initially through working in widening participation at Oxford, and more recently through institutional leadership roles and my research fields.

“The University of Northampton’s excellent record of supporting aspiration and creating opportunities for its students, as well as the University’s commitment to generate meaningful social impact, is what really attracted me to this role.

“I’m excited to get stuck in as Pro-Vice Chancellor and fulfil my aim of ensuring that all our students receive a high standard of education and student experience. My initial focus will be on making sure our students are happy with their experience and supporting our staff to offer high-quality and sustainable education.”

The University’s Vice Chancellor, Anne-Marie Kilday said: “We warmly welcome Alice Wilby as our new Pro-Vice Chancellor, and look forward to her arrival next month.

“Here at the University of Northampton, we introduced this position of Pro-Vice Chancellor to drive focus on enhancing the overall experience of all who study with us, and to take proud ownership of the University’s programmes of study, its academic standards and the quality of the student experience.

“With the wealth of senior level experience and enthusiasm for inciting positive, productive change within the evolving landscape of Higher Education which Alice brings with her, it’s an exciting time to look ahead to a bright future here at the University of Northampton.”