Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) is delighted to announce the appointment of Professor Mairi Watson as its new Principal and Vice-Chancellor. She will start in her new role on February 1, 2026.

Professor Watson brings substantial senior leadership experience and a deep affinity with the University’s values and mission. She will join GCU from her position of Deputy Vice-Chancellor at Hertfordshire University.

At Hertfordshire, Professor Watson has led all academic aspects of the university and has overseen the development of its 2025-2030 strategy. Her achievements include securing General Medical Council approval for the new medical school, driving significant improvements in student satisfaction − placing the University in the top quartile of the National Student Survey and top eight in the Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey for the past four years − and enhancing league table performance to reach the Guardian Top 50. The University has also been shortlisted for THE University of the Year 2025.

Previously, Professor Watson served as Pro Vice-Chancellor for Education and Student Experience at Hertfordshire, where she led a major transformation of teaching practice and student engagement. Her initiatives strengthened student voice mechanisms, improved student experience and supported significant growth in international recruitment.

A Professor of Learning and Teaching and a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, Professor Watson is recognised for her strategic leadership in academic practice and her contribution to high-quality student learning.

Before joining Hertfordshire, she was Dean of the Faculty of Business and Law at the University of Northampton and began her academic career at De Montfort University as a Senior Lecturer in Organisational Behaviour and Human Resource Management. Prior to entering higher education, she held various roles in the prison service, from officer to prison governor, including two secondments to central government.

Originally from near Glasgow, Professor Watson holds an LLB (Hons) from the University of Edinburgh, an LLM in Criminology and Criminal Justice from King’s College London, an MBA from the Open University, and a PhD in Organisational Behaviour (Organisational Change) from De Montfort University.

The GCU Vice-Chancellor position is the University’s most senior officer, responsible for the strategic direction and leadership of the University supporting nearly 23,000 students in Scotland and around the world.

The University’s Court, chaired by Yvette Hopkins, approved the appointment following a process that included student, staff and union representatives, as well as lay governors. Professor Watson will succeed Professor Steve Decent who is moving to a new role as Principal and Vice-Chancellor at Lancaster University.

Speaking on her appointment, Professor Watson said: “I am delighted to have been appointed as Principal and Vice-Chancellor at Glasgow Caledonian University. I am looking forward to working with staff, students and external stakeholders to build on GCU’s already outstanding reputation as the UK’s top modern university. I am a firm believer in the power of education to transform lives, and so I am very pleased to be joining a university that has access and inclusion at the heart of its vision and mission, as the University for the Common Good. I am committed to ensuring we continue to achieve outstanding outcomes for our students and internationally excellent research, delivering real societal benefit. Whilst these are challenging times for the sector, I have no doubt that we collectively will have the creativity and confidence to be bold in the next phase of our development, setting a positive example, and continuing to thrive.”

Announcing the appointment, GCU’s Chair of Court, Yvette Hopkins, said: “I am absolutely delighted to announce Professor Mairi Watson as Glasgow Caledonian’s new Principal and Vice-Chancellor. Professor Watson was incredibly impressive throughout the rigorous recruitment process informed by the involvement of students, staff, trade unions and other key groups. As we look ahead, Professor Watson is inheriting a UK top-ranked modern university which is delivering fantastic student outcomes, driving economic growth and benefiting the many communities we serve. I very much look forward to working closely with Professor Watson in the years ahead to overcome some of the challenges in the sector and seize opportunities for Glasgow Caledonian to deliver for the Common Good.”

GCU’s current Principal and Vice-Chancellor Professor Decent said: “Many congratulations to Professor Watson in securing her new role as Principal and Vice-Chancellor of Glasgow Caledonian. She is joining a hugely impressive University, with expert and dedicated staff, that is delivering fantastic results on many fronts, from great student outcomes to economic and social benefits for business and communities in Glasgow and beyond. I wish Professor Watson every success as she takes the University into a new period of opportunity.”