University's first female vice-chancellor to leave

The vice-chancellor and president of a Nottingham university has announced her departure after seven years.

Prof Shearer West became the first woman to take on the role at the University of Nottingham (UoN) when she was appointed in 2017.

Prof West is stepping down to join the University of Leeds as its 14th vice-chancellor and president in November.

It comes at a "challenging" time for the university as it confirmed it had opened a voluntary redundancy scheme.

UoN's governing body said Prof West's contributions "will be recognised and appreciated widely".

Under her leadership, the university ranked seventh for "research power" under the UK's Research Excellence Framework (REF), recognising it as one of the best universities in the UK for the strength of its research.

Praising her tenure in Nottingham, the University of Leeds said Prof West also oversaw the development of new learning spaces, increased mental health support and was an advocate for equity, diversity and inclusion.

The university said she was appointed for the role following a global recruitment competition.

"I know that I am building on very firm foundations and feel extremely privileged to have been chosen to be part of an institution that is known for its global outlook, outstanding research and commitment to an exceptional experience for its students," said Prof West.

The university has opened up a voluntary redundancy scheme amid financial challenges.

The institution said it was a "challenging time" for the whole of the higher education sector, citing the impact of the cost of living and a "decline in real-terms value of tuition fees" as factors.

A spokesperson said: "Continually reviewing our spending and ensuring we are achieving the best value represents good financial management and in the face of these current challenges will help to safeguard the financial future of the university for our staff and students.

"The Mutually Agreed Resignation Scheme is part of the university’s response to addressing these financial challenges and will support the university in its ongoing work as it adapts to the challenging national and global environment in which HE [higher education] operates."

UoN said similar schemes had been opened at other universities across the country.

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