Professor Alison Honour has officially taken up her role as Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer at Bournemouth University.
She replaces Professor John Vinney who leaves the university after 14 years as Vice-Chancellor.
Professor Honour joins from Canterbury Christ Church University where she was Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Provost.
With a background in creative industries and pedagogy for social entrepreneurship and innovation before moving into management roles, Professor Honour has held a range of senior leadership positions in the higher education sector across over 25 years, working at four post-92 universities.
A passionate supporter of equality and inclusion, Professor Honour’s previous roles have seen her actively support access and participation activities to give opportunities to students from a diverse range of backgrounds.
She was the first person in her own family to attend university.
Recently, Professor Honour was awarded ‘Woman of the Decade Award’ from the Woman’s Economic Forum and the G100, an international leadership group who make recommendations to the UN against the UNSDG5 (United Nations Sustainable Development Goals) for gender equality.
Speaking to staff and students on her appointment, Professor Honour said: “I’m incredibly excited to be joining Bournemouth University, and excited about the future of the university.
“I am looking forward to working with colleagues, students and partners to strengthen the role we have in responding to our regional and global challenges and how we can provide solutions through our impactful research, and educating our students to be successful in all their future aspirations, as innovative entrepreneurs and in their chosen careers.”
Professor Honour is equally passionate about the international role universities can play and has travelled, lived and worked in numerous countries around the world.
She said: “It is my belief that we’re incredibly well positioned to take the work that we do, and the best of our region, education and research, to a global stage. That’s my ambition for Bournemouth University.”