Cardiff University welcomes its new Vice-Chancellor  

Professor Wendy Larner has been appointed Cardiff University’s new President and Vice-Chancellor, commencing her role on 1st September 2023.

Professor Larner is currently Provost of Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. Before moving to Wellington, she was Dean of Social Sciences and Law and Professor of Human Geography for 10 years at the University of Bristol. She has also held academic positions at the University of Waikato and University of Auckland, and was a Fulbright Fellow at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

She will be the University’s first female Vice-Chancellor in its 140-year history.

Responding to her appointment, Professor Larner said: “I’m delighted to be appointed as the new Vice-Chancellor of Cardiff University. It’s an excellent university, full of promise and ambition, and I look forward to working with staff, students and external partners to further unlock its potential. We have the opportunity to be a great global-civic university, actively shaping a better future for Wales and the world.”

Pat Younge, Chair of Cardiff University Council, said: “Our global search for a new Vice-Chancellor has taken many months. We invited all staff and students to tell us what they wanted from our ideal leader, and they were actively involved in the recruitment process. In Professor Larner we have found an esteemed academic and a talented leader, and I look forward to welcoming her to Cardiff in September.”

Professor Colin Riordan, the University’s current Vice-Chancellor, said: “I was very pleased to hear of Wendy’s appointment and have every confidence that she will build on Cardiff’s firm foundations. As I have learned over the past decade, Cardiff’s strength lies in the diversity of backgrounds, experiences and ideas of its community. It has been a privilege and a pleasure to lead this vibrant University and I wish Wendy every success in continuing to shape its future.”