The University of Bradford's incoming Vice-Chancellor Professor Gillian Murray has signalled “a new era” for the university focused on innovation and partnerships.

Professor Murray, who will take up her new role on Monday, July 13, at the start of the University's summer graduation week, has a strong track record in leading large-scale partnership programmes between universities, industry and government.

She is a former member of Scottish Enterprise, Scotland’s national economic development agency, and was previously involved in economic regeneration across the Liverpool City Region and the Northern Powerhouse.

She joins Bradford in its 60th anniversary year from Heriot-Watt University, where, as Deputy Principal, she led enterprise and business engagement strategy and helped double research and innovation income.

Commenting on her appointment, she said the entire higher education sector stood at a crossroads.

She said: “When I accepted the role of Vice-Chancellor of the University of Bradford, I was asked many times why I was making the move. The answer was surprisingly simple. I saw a university that has never been afraid to do things differently.

“That matters, because higher education is entering a period where doing more of the same is unlikely to be enough. Universities today face an unprecedented combination of financial pressure, changing student expectations, rapid technological change, demographic shifts and growing demands from employers, government and society.

“Every institution is grappling with the same fundamental question: how do we remain true to our mission while adapting to a very different future?

“For me, the answer lies in entrepreneurship. Not entrepreneurship in the narrow sense of starting businesses or generating commercial income, important though those things are. I mean entrepreneurship as a way of thinking.

“It is the ability to see opportunity where others see constraints. To build partnerships that would not otherwise exist. To challenge established assumptions. To experiment, learn and adapt. To have the confidence to take calculated risks in pursuit of a bigger ambition.

“That mindset has shaped my own career.”

Her work has ranged from helping create one of the UK's first University Enterprise Zones and Sensor City in Liverpool, to leading innovation investments through City and Growth Deals, including the UK's National Robotarium and the Islands Centre for Net Zero. She also pioneered industry-led digital transformation programmes such as LCR4.0, a precursor to the UK Government's Made Smarter initiative.

She added: “The future for universities is going to be in how they make what they currently do more relevant to the wider economy. That means expanding existing partnerships and forging new ones.”