University of Salford Vice-Chancellor Announces Retirement

Over this time, Professor Marshall has overseen a significant increase in student numbers growing from c.20,000 students in 2015/16 to over 30,000 in 2021/22. The formation of Salford’s Industry Collaboration Zones in the early years of Professor Marshall’s leadership, positioned Salford at the heart of addressing the skills gaps for Salford, Greater Manchester and the North West. The physical manifestation of this is evident across the University campus in its new buildings: the new Science, Engineering & Environment Building; Energy House 2 and the North of England Robotics Innovation Centre (NERIC), as well as through the Campus Masterplan, and more importantly in its industry focussed curriculum.

A new approach to supporting research has seen the most successful outcome in the Research Excellence Framework (REF) with Salford’s expertise being recognised as world-leading in all submissions and a 22-place rise in the latest REF results.

Professor Marshall was the first in her family to attend university and she has embodied the transformational experiences and opportunities that higher education can offer. Salford has always been a university for students from a wide range of socio-economic backgrounds and, in her eight-year tenure as Vice-Chancellor, as the University has grown, it has not lost those roots and continues to draw students from across the social spectrum. Most recently initiatives supported by Professor Marshall, such as IntoUniversity, will build on the strength of the University’s community engagement and ensure that Salford will long continue to be a university for all.

Rt Hon Lord Keith Bradly, Chair of Council, said “Professor Marshall’s leadership, vision and drive has ensured that the University is in a very strong position on all fronts. The University has responded to the challenges of the political agenda, diversifying the curriculum offer with Degree Apprenticeships and programmes aimed at addressing the Higher Technical Skills shortages as well as a pilot to support Lifelong Learning micro credentials. Despite a decline in the school leaver population the University has grown its home undergraduate recruitment with its largest ever intake, and has taken the opportunities of overseas market demand by increasing its inward recruitment of international students and establishing an innovative campus in Bahrain, the British University of Bahrain, to provide a regional centre for the study of Salford degrees.”

The influence that the University now has locally, regionally and nationally is further evidence of Professor Marshall’s exceptional leadership. Salford is a university that politicians and policy makers now actively seek out and to engage with as they develop approaches and strategies to address their social and political priorities.”

University Council will immediately begin the search for the next Vice-Chancellor, whom it is hoped will join the University at the beginning of the next academic year in 2023.