How the University is managed
The University of Bradford is governed through its Court, Council and Senate.
The University also has an Executive Team who oversee the strategic direction of the University. The Vice-Chancellor, Deputy Vice-Chancellors, Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Academic Deans and non-Academic Directors make up the Executive Team.
Full details of the Governance of the University can be found on the Governance web pages.
Chair of Council
Baroness Ann Taylor
Chair of Council and Pro-Chancellor
Baroness Ann Taylor was appointed Chair of Council and Pro-Chancellor at the University of Bradford with effect from 1 August 2015.
Baroness Taylor has a long association with Bradford, having graduated with a BSc in Politics and History from the University in 1969. She also received an Honorary Doctorate of the University in 1997 for her public life and political achievements.
She is one of The Labour Party’s most experienced politicians, beginning her political career as MP for Bolton West in 1974, serving more recently as MP for Dewsbury.
She has held many senior positions both in government and opposition, including Shadow Secretary of State for Education and Shadow Leader of the House of Commons. She became Leader of the House of Commons in 1997 before being appointed Government Chief Whip.
She was Chair of the Intelligence and Security Committee from 2001-2005. She has since served as a Government Minister in the House of Lords, as Minister for Defence Equipment and Support and Minister for International Defence and Security. She has also served as a Representative on the Council of Europe and the Western European Union. She became a Life Peer in 2005.
She is Chair of the following: Governance and Nominations, Remunerations, Ethics Committee, Investment Committee; and a member of Honorary Degrees Committee.
Executive Team
Vice-Chancellor
Professor Shirley Congdon
Vice-Chancellor
Our Vice-Chancellor Professor Shirley Congdon is responsible for the leadership and management of the University, leading the development of its values and strategy.
Shirley is the eighth Vice-Chancellor of the University of Bradford and is the first women to hold the role. Shirley has significant experience of working in higher education championing the quality of the student experience, widening participation, engagement with business and communities and advancing the quality of research and innovation.
Originally qualifying as a Registered Nurse, Shirley’s professional and academic expertise lies within the area of health and social care, service modernisation and cultural change, research methods and evidence-based practice. She has a strong track record in all aspects of university leadership, having worked within the field of higher education for 25 years and held senior roles in three different universities.
Shirley is passionate about equality and diversity, social inclusion and widening participation in higher education; opening up opportunities and unlocking potential for people of all backgrounds.
Shirley is a tireless ambassador for students and is committed to ensuring students get the best possible education and support that leads to a rewarding career after they graduate. Her number one priority is to place the student experience at the heart of all aspects of University activities.
Contact details
Helen Hague
Senior Executive Services Support Manager/Executive Assistant to the Vice-Chancellor (external).
Michelle Kenyon
Executive Assistant to the Vice-Chancellor (internal)
Deputy Vice-Chancellors
Professor John Bridgeman
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research, Innovation and Engagement)
John Bridgeman joined the University as Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research and Knowledge Transfer in October 2017, becoming Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research, Innovation and Engagement) in November 2020.
John studied Civil Engineering at the University of Birmingham and completed an MSc and PhD in Water Science and Engineering at Cranfield University. He worked in the water industry for 15 years before returning to the University of Birmingham as a Senior Lecturer in 2005. He was promoted to Reader in 2011 and Professor of Environmental Engineering in 2013. During his time at Birmingham, John was, at various times, Head of Civil Engineering, Director of Research and Knowledge Transfer for the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences and, latterly, Director of Internationalisation for the College.
Contact details
Jackie Hall
Executive Assistant to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research, Innovation and Engagement)
Professor Zahir Irani
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic, Innovation and Quality)
Professor Zahir Irani is a Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic, Innovation and Quality) and previously the Dean of the Faculty of Management, Law and Social Sciences, University of Bradford.
He studied Manufacturing Engineering at the University of Salford (UK) and then working as a Project Engineer before then doing a PhD in Production Economics at Brunel University (UK). He started his academic career in a Department of Computer Science at Brunel University. Five years later securing his Chair followed by becoming Head of Department, where he championed industry-academia partnerships. His research interests at that time explored investment decision making in Engineering organisations, expanding to focus on Public Sector Investment Decision Making as local and central Governments started to invest in their eGovernment infrastructures. Much of his work at that time is now considered normative, where it also attracted funding from UK research councils, industry and from the EU as part of the FP 6-7 and H2020. A move to lead a Business School saw his research interest broaden, along with changes in his methodological approaches to include techniques such as Fuzzy Cognitive Mapping (FCM) which is an AI based technique.
His interdisciplinary background has allowed him to publish across Engineering, Information Systems, Operational Research and Business-related journals. This research attracted funding from the Australian Research Council and Qatar Foundation (NPRP-6, 7 and 8). His professional development has seen him complete his leadership and financial management training at Harvard Business School and University of Cambridge respectively. Having completed a 7-year tenure as Head of a Business School where he won the Times Higher Education (THE) Business School of the Year award, he accepted an invitation to work in Government, where he was seconded to Whitehall to become a Senior Policy Advisor in the Cabinet Office during the coalition Government. On completion, he returned to academia, to become the Founding Dean of the newly established College of Business, Arts and Social Sciences at Brunel University London. Later headed to the University of Bradford where, as the Dean of Faculty (Management and Law) he lead the merger with the Faculty of Social Sciences. He recently assumed the interim role of Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Academic, Innovation and Quality).
He remains research active, graduating 30 PhD students and with a H-index of 75. His research interests have more recently focused on Food Security, with current work funding through the British Academy of Management and the Qatar Foundation (NPRP-10). His research on Food Security has clear demonstration of impact and has featured in the Conversation and Geographical with interviews and commentary in the Doha News, Penninsula and with CNN.Com. His research has informed Government Policy in Qatar and will be written as an Impact Case Study for the REF.
Zahir Irani Tweets: @ZahirIrani1
Contact details
Sabina Adam
Executive Assistant to the Interim Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Academic, Innovation & Quality)
Contact details
Sabina Adam
Executive Assistant to the Interim Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Academic, Innovation & Quality)
Pro-Vice-Chancellor
Professor Udy Archibong MBE
Pro Vice-Chancellor Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
Uduak Archibong is Professor of Diversity at the University of Bradford, UK, where she directs the Centre for Inclusion and Diversity and provides strategic oversight for equality and diversity across the institution.
She obtained a BSc (First Class) from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria in 1990 and a PhD from Hull University in 1995. She is Visiting Professor at several international universities, a Fellow of the West African College of Nursing and a Fellow of the Royal College of Nursing. She is a member of the Chartered Management Institute.
Uduak is recognised as a thought leader in inclusion and diversity and currently leading in setting agenda to drive research, learning and knowledge exchange activities internationally. She has a sustained, distinguished presence in the field of diversity management and much of her work has focused on inclusive workplaces, representative diversity, diversity-competent leadership in public, private and third sector organisations.
Informed by over 25 years' experience of working in the higher education sector, Uduak’s academic and professional work has major impacts locally, nationally and globally. Key among these impacts is that the body of her research work has provided a robust understanding of the challenges of applying diversity interventions in enhancing workforce diversity and inclusive service delivery.
Her research has provided a clear international definition of positive action and application for representational and participative diversity. She is currently leading a major multi-million European Commission funded action research project, GENOVATE, across 7 European Universities.
Uduak has published extensively on inclusion and diversity. She is on the editorial board of a number of academic journals and the Guest Editor of a recently published Special Issue of the Journal of Psychological Issues in Organisational Culture entitled 'Reframing Diversity Interventions in Austere Times'.
Uduak was listed in the New Year Honours list 2015 and was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire for her contributions to higher education and equality.
Deans
Doctor Pam Bagley
Dean of the Faculty of Health Studies
Dr Pamela Bagley is the Dean of the Faculty of Health Studies at the University of Bradford. Originally qualifying as a Physiotherapist Pam worked clinically in Derbyshire, eventually specialising in neurological rehabilitation.
She moved to Bradford in 1994 to join the then Bradford and Airedale College of Health, which became part of the University of Bradford in April 1996. Pam developed her teaching interests in the fields of neurology, neurophysiology, research and evidence based practice. Her PhD was in the field of rehabilitation for people who have sustained a stroke.
Pam is a Partner Visitor for the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP), undertaking reviews of the standards of Physiotherapy and other health programmes offered by institutions in the UK.
She also acts as external examiner for physiotherapy programmes at the University of Brighton and Keele University. Pam is a Member of the Health Education England Yorkshire and the Humber (HEYH), West Yorkshire Partnership Council and the Council of Deans for Health. She is registered with the HCPC and is a member of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy.
Professor Alastair Goldman
Dean of the Faculty of Life Sciences
Joining the University of Bradford in July 2017, Professor Alastair Goldman is the Dean of the Faculty of Life Sciences. With a first degree in Genetics at Queen Mary College he became a research assistant at East Birmingham Hospital and undertook his PhD research in the Regional Cytogenetics and DNA Diagnostic Laboratory.
He later joined the National Cancer Institute in the National Institutes of Health, USA, followed by 4 years as a postdoc. He then took up a lectureship in the Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology at The University of Sheffield, teaching clinical and molecular genetics and continuing research with an emphasis on genetic influences on repair of broken DNA during meiosis.
In 2012 he became head of the department in Sheffield where he oversaw the growth of the Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, increasing student numbers and research income.
Professor Goldman has been published in many high-ranking journals, including The Lancet, Science, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (USA), Nucleic Acids Research, PLoS Genetics, PLoS Computer Biology and Molecular Cell.
His research interests are centred on the meiotic cell division, which is essential for fertility of sexually reproducing organisms. The main scope of his work includes chromosome organisation, chromosome segregation and DNA double-strand break repair. These fundamental aspects of cell biology are central to understanding the Eukaryotic life cycle, improving crop species through breeding programmes and human health; as their function is critical to the avoidance of cancer and ageing
Professor Martin Priest
Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Informatics
Joined the University of Bradford as the 50th Anniversary Chair – Professor of Tribology in 2015, became Associate Dean for Research and Knowledge Transfer for the Faculty later that year, Interim Dean in 2016 and Dean in May 2017. An experienced engineering academic and industrial consultant involved in the multidisciplinary field of tribology (study and application of the principles of friction, lubrication and wear) since 1987.
Martin is a Chartered Engineer and Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) in the UK. Prior to joining the University of Bradford he held the Jost Chair of Engineering Tribology at the University of Leeds, where he has spent the majority of his career to date.
His major research interests are fundamental studies of lubrication, friction and wear; application of tribology to engineering system design, efficiency and reliability; the tribology of internal combustion engines and polymer tribology.
Martin has an established publication and funding track record with the UK research councils, the EU and industry and was awarded the 2015 Tribology Silver Medal (national award in recognition of an exceptionally meritorious contribution to the science and technology of tribology) by the Tribology Trust, UK (administered by the IMechE).
He was elevated to the prestigious grade of Fellow of the Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers (STLE), USA in 2017. Only the fourth recipient in the UK out of the 140 Fellowships awarded globally since they introduced this distinction in 1971.
Associate Editor of the academic journals Tribology Transactions (Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers, USA, Taylor & Francis) and the Journal of Engineering Tribology (IMechE, UK, SAGE). Chair of the IMechE Automobile Division for Yorkshire (UK) and External Examiner for undergraduate Engineering degrees at Durham University.
Professor Vishanth Weerakkody
Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Management, Law and Social Sciences
Professor Vishanth Weerakkody is the Deputy Dean for the Faculty of Management, Law and Social Sciences and Professor of Digital Governance at the University of Bradford. Prior to this, he held the role of Head of School and Associate Dean (Planning and Resources) for the Faculty of Management, Law and Social Sciences.
He joined the School of Management at the University of Bradford in March 2017 as Professor in Management Information Systems and Governance. He was previously a Professor of Digital Governance at the Business School in Brunel University, London where he held several leadership roles.
Prior to his academic career, Prof Weerakkody worked in a number of multinational organisations, including IBM UK.
He has a successful track record of Research and Enterprise and has secured numerous research grants from funding bodies such as the European Commission (FP7 & H2020), Economic and Social Research Council, Qatar Foundation and UK Local Government.
His R&D expertise spans several disciplines including, management decision making, ICT evaluation, public administration, social Innovation and process transformation.
He is the Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Electronic Government Research and a Handling Editor for Information Systems Frontiers. He is a Chartered IT Professional and Fellow of the UK Higher Education Academy.
Directors of Professional Services Directorates
Mr Stuart McKinnon-Evans
Chief Finance Officer
Stuart joined the University as Chief Finance Officer in February 2018.
He has over 30 years' experience in public sector financial management, 12 of which at Board level. His sector experience includes local and central government, further and higher education, health, charities, and capital markets. He has worked in line and consultancy roles, predominantly in large and complex organisations. He has been Finance Director for The Pension, Disability and Carers Service; for Bradford Council, where he spent 6 years; and now the University of Bradford. He was a management consultant with Deloitte, which included 9 months in Russia. He was also the Treasurer for 8 years of ADD International, a charity specialising in supporting people with disabilities.
Qualified with the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy, his core specialism is not-for-profit financial strategy and management. In addition, he has been responsible for corporate services including procurement, IT, legal, property, HR, planning and organisation performance, tax collection, insurance and assurance, as well as commercial services. In the last 10 years, his focus has been cost reduction, helping organisations reshape to remain effective and sustainable.
In his earlier career, he taught English as a foreign language at the Humboldt University in Berlin, and worked as a translator. He graduated in Modern Languages here at Bradford in 1983, and has an MPhil in European Studies. Outside work he enjoys jazz, cycling, Northern hills, and playing in a ukulele band, but not usually all at the same time.
Contact details
Michelle Kenyon
Executive Assistant to the Chief Finance Officer
Ms Joanne Marshall
Director of People and Campus Services
Joanne Marshall was appointed as Director of People and Campus Services at the University of Bradford in December 2013.
She oversees the University’s Human Resources, Organisational Development, Health, Safety and Wellbeing and Campus Services. She is passionate about people and providing high quality and innovative professional leadership, to help drive delivery of the University's mission, objectives and business plan.
Contact details
Katrina Jennings
Executive Assistant to the Director of People and Campus Services
Nikki Pierce
Academic Registrar (Director of Student and Academic Services)
Nikki joined the University in September 2014, and is responsible for registry and student administration, student services, and quality assurance and enhancement.
Nikki has spent over 15 years working in Higher Education administration and management. Prior to joining the University, she was Chief Operating Officer in the Faculty of Arts, Environment and Technology at Leeds Beckett University, where she led a team of over 100 student support and professional services staff, as well as undertaking cross-institutional projects in regulatory and process review and continuous improvement. Before moving to Leeds, Nikki held a number of roles in Higher Education Institutions in London, including Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, Imperial College London, the Institute of Education, University College London and King’s College London.
Nikki completed a first degree and an MPhil in Social Anthropology at Swansea University and holds an MBA in Higher Education Management from the University of London.
Paul Watson
Director of Learning, Teaching, and Quality Enhancement
Paul joined the University in November 2017. He has overseen the creation of the the Directorate of Learning, Teaching & Quality Enhahcement which brought together the previously diserpersed functions of educational development and quality assurnace. His team provides support to Faculties in all aspects of programme design, delivery, and enhancment including the operation of the new Bradford:Fellowships scheme recently accredited by Advance HE.
Before joing Bradford, Paul was the Associate Dean for Learning & Teaching in the Faculty of Design, Arts and Humanities at Teesside University, and before that Head of their English Studies Department. His research interests focused on the issues of popular culture and the politics of representation and is widely published in the area of music video, cinema, and gendered identity.
University Secretary
Riley Power
University Secretary
Riley joined the University as University Secretary in 2019.
Riley is a highly experienced corporate governance professional with an extensive background in UK higher education governance, policy development and public and administrative law.
Riley was previously the Head of Governance at Glasgow Caledonian University, leading the delivery of effective and comprehensive governance support for the University and its governing body. Prior to this, Riley worked with Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh, supporting the governing body through the delivery of effective governance support and advice.
Before moving to the UK from Australia in 2012, Riley was a senior lawyer with the Australian Tax Practitioners Board and was an auditor for the Australian Taxation Office.