This morning our Vice-Chancellor and President Prof Karen Cox has announced she will be stepping down after seven years in the role. Karen will be with us until the end of May with a recruitment process underway to find and appoint Kent’s next Vice-Chancellor. In the meantime, the University’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Strategy and Performance, Prof Georgina Randsley de Moura, will serve as Acting Vice-Chancellor. 

What will happen next 

The University’s Council and Senate oversee recruitment and appointment of the Vice-Chancellor. They will be working with the University’s HR team to identify potential candidates to be our next VC ahead of a full interview process. This is expected to continue into the summer. 

What does this mean for you 

Our Executive Group will continue to handle the day-to-day running of the University until the new appointment is made, with Georgina responsible for any formal decisions that would normally be taken by the Vice-Chancellor. This means in practice there will be no change to your usual studies or activity at the University and the remainder of the year will carry on as normal. 

“It’s been an absolute privilege to serve as Kent’s Vice-Chancellor and so much of what makes the role special is down to you, our students. Hearing about your remarkable achievements has always been the highlight of the role, along with having the honour of seeing so many Kent students graduate and go on to make the world a better place. I look forward to continuing to celebrate your successes as Kent begins its next chapter under new leadership, with a continued focus on ensuring we shape everything we do around the needs of our students.” 

Professor Karen Cox, Vice-Chancellor and President