University of Bradford Welcomes New Vice-Chancellor

Professor Gillian Murray begins leadership amid university’s 60th anniversary

The University of Bradford has appointed Professor Gillian Murray as its new Vice-Chancellor, marking a new phase for the institution. Professor Murray took up her position on Monday, 13 July 2026, coinciding with the start of the university’s summer graduation week.

Background and experience

Professor Murray brings extensive experience in fostering partnerships across universities, industry, and government. Prior to joining Bradford, she served as Deputy Principal at Heriot-Watt University, where she led enterprise and business engagement strategies and contributed to a significant increase in research and innovation income.

Her previous roles include involvement with Scottish Enterprise, Scotland’s national economic development agency, and participation in economic regeneration initiatives in the Liverpool City Region and the Northern Powerhouse. Her work has included helping to establish one of the UK’s first University Enterprise Zones, Sensor City in Liverpool, and leading innovation investments such as the UK’s National Robotarium and the Islands Centre for Net Zero.

Vision for the university

Professor Murray has described the higher education sector as facing a crossroads, with universities encountering financial pressures, evolving student expectations, rapid technological advancements, demographic changes, and increasing demands from employers, government, and society.

She emphasised the importance of entrepreneurship, not only in terms of business creation but as a mindset characterised by:

• Identifying opportunities where others see constraints
• Building new partnerships
• Challenging established assumptions
• Experimenting, learning, and adapting
• Taking calculated risks to achieve broader ambitions

Professor Murray stated that this approach has shaped her career and is central to her vision for the university’s future. She highlighted the need for universities to enhance the relevance of their activities to the wider economy by expanding existing partnerships and developing new collaborations.

Leadership transition

Professor Murray is the University of Bradford’s ninth permanent Vice-Chancellor. She succeeds Professor Nick Braisby, who had been serving as Interim Vice-Chancellor since December 2025 following the retirement of Professor Shirley Congon. Professor Braisby held the Vice-Chancellor role from 2019 until his interim appointment.

Further information

Professor Murray is scheduled to provide a more detailed outline of her vision in a blog post published by the Higher Education Policy Institute on Sunday, 19 July 2026.