Tim Sawyer, Chair of the Board of Governors said: “We are delighted to able to announce the appointment of Professor Rebecca Bunting as Vice Chancellor of the University of Bedfordshire. Her appointment follows an extremely rigorous selection process with a number of high calibre candidates.

The board felt Rebecca was outstanding throughout the interview process but also her leadership of the University over the past year through some extremely difficult times has been exceptional.

The Chair continued: “Rebecca brings with her a wealth of experience and we particularly found her values and vision on widening access to higher education to match those we have at Bedfordshire. Together with her commitment to teaching, research and the student experience, I am confident Rebecca will ensure that our students continue to achieve extraordinary things.”

Professor Bunting said on her appointment: “It is a privilege to have been appointed Vice Chancellor of the University of Bedfordshire. I have got to know the University well over the past year and it is a very special place, with a remarkable staff cohort all of whom are dedicated to ensuring our students achieve their potential."

I have no doubt that there will be challenges ahead – not least a continuing pandemic – but with my amazing staff team here at Bedfordshire I am certain that we will be able to overcome them.

Professor Bunting is a founding director of the Higher Education Academy and of its successor organisation, Advance HE. She is also the Chair of a number of national HE committees for learning and teaching, and widening participation.  She has conducted research and published in the field of children’s language and literacy development, educational linguistics and pedagogy.

She graduated from Girton College, University of Cambridge with a degree in English Literature and took postgraduate qualifications at London University. She began her career teaching in London comprehensive schools, moving into higher education as a Senior Lecturer at the University of Roehampton.

She later became Dean of Education at Anglia Ruskin University and Pro-Rector at the University of Northampton. From there she moved to the University of Portsmouth in 2004 as Pro Vice Chancellor and from 2007 as Deputy Vice Chancellor.

As our first Virtual Graduation ceremony gets underway we hear from the University of Bedfordshire's Vice Chancellor Prof. Rebecca Bunting giving her congratulations to the #ClassOf2020! 🎓 See more on the live stream here: https://t.co/hd7BwGFkQU #Graduation2020 #BedsGrads pic.twitter.com/eQot0VLxF9

— uniofbeds (@uniofbeds) September 3, 2020