The University of Glamorgan announced today that its new Vice-Chancellor is to be Mrs Julie Lydon – the first woman to hold a Vice-Chancellorship in Wales.
Mrs Lydon will replace Professor David Halton who retires next year after 5 highly successful years in the role during which time he led the University through a period of rapid growth including opening a new £35m campus in the heart of Cardiff, merging Merthyr Tydfil FE College and the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama with the University to form the Glamorgan Group, as well as achieving the University’s best ever outcome in the Research Assessment Exercise.
Taking over responsibility next spring, Mrs Lydon currently holds the post of Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the University. She was appointed to the role following an extensive search and selection process which saw her compete for the role against a field of excellent candidates from across the UK and abroad.
Commenting on her appointment Professor John Andrews, CBE, Chairman of the University Board of Governors said, “The Board members were unanimous in their decision and we are delighted to have secured Julie’s services as our next Vice-Chancellor. We recognised her outstanding abilities in her current role and have every confidence that she will build on the excellent work of Professor Halton taking the University and the Glamorgan Group on to the next phase of its development.
“Her appointment as Wales first female Vice-Chancellor is also a cause for celebration and we hope her success will act as an inspiration to other women not only in Higher Education but the workplace generally”.
Julie Lydon said of her appointment “I would like to thank all those who have been supportive of my career and given me the motivation to achieve this prestigious appointment. I am looking forward to taking up my new role and can assure the Board of Governors, students and staff that I will do my utmost to successfully lead the University through the difficult challenges facing the Higher Education sector in these demanding economic times. My intention is to ensure that the University continues to thrive by building on our strengths of providing high quality and distinctive academic services which enable students to meet the needs of employers not only in Wales but internationally”.
