Professor Jane Harrington is the Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer of the London and South East University Group, the inaugural leader of the UK’s first multi-university group, and former Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer of the University of Greenwich, where she served from December 2019. With a career in higher education spanning 35 years, she is widely recognised for her inclusive, values-led leadership, with a strong focus on student success, social mobility, civic responsibility, partnerships and education without boundaries. Jane’s career started as a researcher focusing on gender and work, and she has held senior and executive roles for over 20 years. Jane is well known across the higher education sector as Board member of University Alliance, a member of the Universities UK (UUK) Board, and UUK Policy Lead for Student Experience, Education and Skills. She is also a Board member of UCEA and was the chair of UCEA’s Pay Gaps Reference Group.
As Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer of the London and South East University Group, Jane is responsible for providing strategic leadership across the organisation, overseeing its academic mission, financial sustainability, institutional performance and long-term development. She works closely with the governing body, executive and senior leadership teams, staff, students and external partners to ensure the Group delivers high-quality education, drives innovation and impactful research, and makes a meaningful contribution to communities locally, regionally and nationally, while maintaining a strong global footprint.