Professor Susan Lea is Vice-Chancellor of the University of Hull. She is passionate about the role of universities in transforming lives and positively impacting society and has extensive senior leadership experience in both research and teaching intensive universities. Professor Lea began her career as a lecturer in psychology at the University of Cape Town. She moved to the University of Plymouth in 1994 where she held a number of senior positions, at both faculty and University level whilst maintaining her research into domestic and sexual violence. She moved to King’s College London in 2010 where she simultaneously held a number of senior management roles, including Dean of Education and Professor within the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience and King’s Interim Vice-Principal (Education). Professor Lea was appointed Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) at the University of Greenwich in April 2015. Here she played a key role in developing the strategic vision for the University and led the development and delivery of the academic strategy which saw a range of significant positive outcomes. Building on her substantial experience of leading successful, inclusive organisational change with a consequent raising of performance, as Vice Chancellor of the University of Hull, Professor Lea has led a major, holistic, programme of transformation focussed on regaining financial stability and sustainability and improving the University’s performance. This has seen the University rise dramatically in the League Tables year on year for the past three years, deliver above-sector student satisfaction in undergraduate and postgraduate student experience, and play a strong role in the region as well as achieving an enhanced reputation and profile nationally and internationally.
Susan Lea
