The Pro-Vice-Chancellors and Registrar

Five Pro-Vice-Chancellors have specific responsibility for areas of University policy. These include education; research; academic services such as libraries and museums; planning and resource allocation; development and external affairs; and personnel issues.

Sally Mapstone

Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education)

Dr Sally Mapstone

Sally Mapstone is Reader in Older Scots Literature in the Faculty of English and CUF Lecturer in English at St Hilda's College. Her research is in Older Scots literature, dealing primarily with literature in Scots and in Latin, with political literature, and with book history. She is the first woman, and the first English person, to be President of the Scottish Text Society, a position she has held since 2001. From 2007 to 2010, she served as Chair of the English Faculty Board at Oxford; she became Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Personnel & Equality) in November 2009, and took up her current role in January 2011.

As Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education), Dr Mapstone is responsible for the University’s strategy and policies for teaching, learning, student support and admissions.
Stephen Goss

Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Personnel & Equality)

Dr Stephen Goss

Stephen Goss is a Fellow and Tutor in Medicine at Wadham College, a lecturer at the Dunn School of Pathology, and Director of the Oxford Learning Institute. He established the radiation hybrid technique 'Goss-Harris method' for human gene mapping, and went on to study the growth and differentiation of hepatomas. From 1997 to 2005, he was Director of Pre-Clinical Studies at Oxford, and was closely involved with the expansion of the Medical School and revising the curriculum.

 

As Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Personnel & Equality), Dr Goss is responsible for overseeing the development and evolution of the University’s Human Resources Strategy; and taking a lead on equality and diversity issues across the University.
Ian Walmsley

Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research, ASUC)

Professor Ian Walmsley

Ian Walmsley is Hooke Professor of Experimental Physics and Professorial Fellow of St Hugh’s College. Prior to being appointed Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research) in February 2009, he was Head of Atomic and Laser Physics at Oxford, and served as Director of the Institute of Optics at the University of Rochester in the US. His research is in the areas of ultrafast optics and quantum optics. He is a Fellow of the Optical Society of America, the American Physical Society, and the UK Institute of Physics, and is a Science Delegate for Oxford University Press.

As Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research, Academic Services & University Collections), Professor Walmsley chairs the University’s Research Committee and is responsible for coordinating the University's relationships with its major research funders; he also oversees the University’s libraries, museums and collections and its language teaching services.
Nick Rawlins

Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Development & External Affairs)

Professor Nick Rawlins

Nick Rawlins is Watts Professor of Psychology and Professorial Fellow of Wolfson College. His research lies broadly within behavioural neuroscience, and spans areas including the neural basis of memory, brain degeneration, and pain and anxiety. He was elected Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences in 2006, and became Associate Head of Oxford’s Medical Sciences Division in 2008. He was a Fellow of University College for more than 20 years, serving as Development Fellow at the college from 2001 to 2007 before moving to Wolfson College as a Professorial Fellow.

 

As Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Development & External Affairs), a position he took up in October 2010, Professor Rawlins is responsible for leading the development of the University's external fundraising strategy; managing the work of the Directors of Development, Alumni Relations, and Public Affairs; and overseeing civic relations in liaison with the Registrar.
Professor William James

Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Planning & Resources)

Professor William James

William James is Professor of Virology, a Fellow of Brasenose College, and a Fellow of the Oxford Martin School. His research group at the Sir William Dunn School of Pathology uses stem cell technology to investigate the molecular biology of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1), particularly its interaction with macrophages. His team also contributes to international collaborations in the study of neurodegenerative and inflammatory diseases by running the James Martin Stem Cell Facility, a leading centre for the reprogramming and genetic manipulation of induced pluripotent stem cells. Professor James is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. He was Associate Head of the Division of Medical Sciences, responsible for finance, physical capital, information and communication technology, from 2008 – 2011, has served as Head of the Sir William Dunn School of Pathology (2007 – 2008), Monsanto Senior Research Fellow of Exeter College (1989 – 1994), and Medical Tutor at both Brasenose and Magdalen Colleges (2001 – 2011, and 1997 – 2001, respectively).

As Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Planning & Resources), Professor James is responsible for institutional and strategic planning, and resource allocation.

Ewan McKendrick

Registrar

Professor Ewan McKendrick

Ewan McKendrick is Professor of English Private Law and a Fellow of Lady Margaret Hall. He holds law degrees from the University of Edinburgh and the University of Oxford, and was called to the Bar in 1998. He is a barrister at 3 Verulam Buildings and a Master of the Bench at Gray's Inn. His teaching and research interests are in commercial law, contract law and tort law. He served as Chair of the Board of the Law Faculty at Oxford from 2004 to 2006 and was Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research) from 2006 to 2008 and then Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education, Academic Services and University Collections) until 2010. He took up the appointment of Registrar in January 2011, succeeding Dr Julie Maxton.

 

As Registrar, Professor McKendrick acts as the head of University Administration and Services (UAS), with responsibility for the management and professional development of UAS staff and for the development of other administrative support. He is also the principal adviser on strategic policy to the Vice-Chancellor and Council.

Pro-Vice-Chancellors without portfolio

These Pro-Vice-Chancellors undertake a range of duties on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor including chairing of electoral boards and presiding at degree ceremonies:

 

Professor Roger Ainsworth, FRAeS, Master of St Catherine's College
Ms Frances Cairncross, CBE, FRSE, Rector of Exeter College
Professor Richard Cawardine, FRHS, FLSW, FBA, President of Corpus Christi College
Dr Frances Lannon, FRHistS, Principal of Lady Margaret Hall
The Very Revd Dr Christopher Lewis, Dean of Christ Church
Professor Paul Madden, FRS, FRSE, Provost of The Queen's College
Revd Dr Ralph Waller, Principal of Harris Manchester College