University of the Arts London, PVC (Global Affairs)

University of the Arts London,
Pro Vice-Chancellor (Global Affairs)

University of the Arts London (UAL) is a global leader in creative education, ranked among the world’s top universities for art and design. We unite six renowned Colleges with a shared purpose: transforming the world through creativity.

Dear colleague
Thank you for your interest in the role of Pro Vice-Chancellor (Global Affairs) at University of the Arts London. This is a role we have been building toward with considerable thought and care, and I am genuinely excited to invite someone exceptional to step into it alongside us.
This is an important and exciting moment for UAL. We have always been a deeply international university, with over 20,000 students from more than 130 countries and six Colleges whose histories and cultures are woven into the creative fabric of London and the world. International engagement, for us, has never simply been about reach. It is about the quality and integrity of the relationships we build, the values we bring to them, and the difference creative education can make when it crosses borders thoughtfully. The PVC (Global Affairs) will help us build on this foundation and the brilliant welcoming legacies of our colleges, identifying and nurturing strategic partnerships with universities, cultural institutions, governments and industry, and positioning UAL as a leading voice in international creative education.
The external landscape is shifting rapidly. The UK's International Education Strategy, geopolitical realignments, evolving patterns of student mobility, and new models of transnational delivery are all reshaping what it means to be a global university. This provides both challenge and opportunity. At UAL, we are responding by diversifying income and market presence as well as asking deeper questions about what our global engagement should do: for our students, our partners, the communities we work with, and the creative industries that depend on diverse, global talent.
Working in close partnership with myself as Executive Dean for Global Affairs and with Professor Karen Stanton as Vice-Chancellor, the PVC (Global Affairs) will provide the academic and strategic leadership this moment demands. This includes developing our transnational education offer, strengthening and diversifying our international partnerships (both commercial and academic), integrating global perspectives across education, research and knowledge exchange, and positioning UAL as a confident, values-led voice in international creative education.
This is a role that calls for both outward reach and inward coherence: someone who can represent UAL on the international stage with authority and warmth, while working collaboratively across our Colleges and central teams to ensure that global strategy is genuinely embedded, not bolted on. We are also at a moment of significant transformation within UAL, and the PVC (Global Affairs) will be joining an Academic Leadership Group that is actively reimagining how a great creative university organises itself to meet the challenges of the next decade.
We are looking for a leader with the experience to navigate complexity with clarity, the judgment to identify partnerships that genuinely align with our values and the capacity to skilfully build sustainable international income streams, while championing innovative approaches to transnational education and global collaboration. Equally, we are looking for someone who brings a deep commitment to equity, inclusion, and the importance of diverse perspectives in shaping both curriculum and community.
If you are energized by the opportunity to shape the next chapter of UAL’s global engagement – strengthening our partnerships, extending our reach and ensuring that our international strategy reflects the values and ambitions of our diverse community – we would love to hear from you.
With best wishes,
Professor Rathna Ramanathan
Provost, Central Saint Martins
Executive Dean for Global Affairs
University of the Arts London
Please click here to view the Job Description and Person Specification
All applications must include:
- A full curriculum vitae/resume
- Quoting the relevant role reference number:
  - Pro Vice-Chancellor Global Affairs - A041765
- A covering letter highlighting the aspects of the job description and the University of the Arts London that particularly attract you to the post (Microsoft Word document)
- Contact details for two referees, these will not be contacted without your permission. (References should validate a minimum period of two years employment)
- A completed Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form (which you will be redirected to once you have submitted your application)
Right to work checks
If you are successfully shortlisted, our partner, Yoti, will contact you to complete an online right to work check. This is a quick and secure process, ensuring that all necessary legal requirements are met before proceeding further in the recruitment process.
Monitoring
One of Alumni Global’s and the the University of the Arts London’s objectives is to ensure that its workforce is reflective of the local community and therefore we actively encourage applications from under-represented groups. So that we can successfully achieve these aims, while it is not mandatory we would encourage every applicant to complete the “Equal Opportunities Monitoring form” so that we can measure the effectiveness of our efforts. The Recruiting Manager does not have access to the Monitoring Information Sections of the application form at any stage of the process and the information provided will be kept entirely confidential.
For a confidential discussion on this role please contact:
Owen Francis, Director whose details can be found at the bottom of this microsite.
Candidate adjustment
If you require any reasonable adjustments to be made as part of the recruitment process please can you advise us so that we can ensure this is accommodated.
Closing date: 17th April 2026
Interview panel: 8th May 2026
Please ensure you have made a note of the final interview date(s). We recommend that you bookmark this microsite, as any potential updates regarding the role will be posted online.