Professor Nick Vaughan-Williams appointed as Provost and Vice-Principal following a competitive international recruitment process.
Professor Nick Vaughan-Williams
Professor Nick Vaughan-Williams has been appointed as Provost and Vice-Principal of the University of Birmingham. A social scientist, Professor Vaughan-Williams is a Fellow and Trustee of the Academy of Social Sciences. He joined the University of Birmingham as Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Head of the College of Social Sciences in 2024.
Professor Adam Tickell, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Birmingham, said: “I am delighted that Nick will be our new Provost. With sound judgment and incisive thinking, he has made a significant impact since he joined us. Collaborative, focused on excellence, and committed to our ambition and values, he has a major part to play in our continued success.”
Professor Nick Vaughan-Williams said: “From every angle, the University of Birmingham is in a remarkably strong position. With a clear ambition and a refreshed strategic framework, we’re well placed to drive future innovation through interdisciplinary, challenge-led work. To succeed, we will continue to build on disciplinary excellence and deliver an outstanding student experience.
“Founded on an audacious vision more than 125 years ago, we must continue to act with ambition and impact. As Provost, I’m committed to working collaboratively with colleagues and students to ensure that the University of Birmingham becomes the very best version of itself.”
Listed in the Stanford ‘Top 2% of world-leading scientists’, Professor Vaughan-Williams’ research has been supported by grants from the British Academy, ESRC, and Leverhulme Trust. He is a former recipient of the Philip Leverhulme Prize for outstanding research in Politics and International Studies and Gold Winner of the Association for Borderlands Studies Past Presidents' Book Award.
From every angle, the University of Birmingham is in a remarkably strong position. With a clear ambition and a refreshed strategic framework, we’re well placed to drive future innovation through interdisciplinary, challenge-led work.
In 2024, he joined the University of Birmingham from the University of Warwick where his leadership roles included Vice-Provost and Chair of the Faculty of Social Sciences, and Head of the Department of Politics and International Studies. He previously held lectureships at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth and the University of Exeter.
The University of Birmingham is ranked 76th in the QS World University Rankings 2026, its third successive year of improvement, and its highest position in a decade. Other measures underline a similarly positive performance: in 2024-25 its income exceeded £1 billion for the first time, reaching £1.1 billion, research funding and research awards surpassed £280 million, and student satisfaction improved in many measures in the national student survey.
For media enquiries, please contact Kathryn Hobbs, Communications & Reputation, University of Birmingham, k.hobbs.1@bham.ac.uk or +44 (0)121 414 2772.
Ranked among the world’s top 100 universities, the University of Birmingham is a member of the Russell Group and a founding member of Universitas 21, a global network of research-intensive universities. As England’s first civic university, Birmingham is proud to be based in one of the first superdiverse cities in the UK. It is one of the largest employers in the West Midlands, supporting 20,000 jobs, and contributes £4.4 billion to the UK economy annually.
The University of Birmingham has been shaping society, driving innovation, and changing how the world works for more than a century. Today, it brings together more than 40,000 students from 150 countries and researchers from across the globe. Committed to sustainability, the University is working towards operational net-zero carbon and is advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals through its research and education.
Interim Provost and Vice-Principal
Professor Nick Vaughan-Williams FAcSS is interim Provost and Vice-Principal at the University of Birmingham.
