How can we disagree well at UCL?

Dr Michael Spence

UCL President & Provost

Dr Michael Spence AC joined UCL as President & Provost in January 2021. Prior to this he was the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sydney (2008–2020). Under his leadership, it has risen to first in Australia and fourth in the world for graduate employability. 

He embedded diversity and inclusion in the university’s culture, delivered significant investment in multi-disciplinary research activity, transformed the undergraduate experience and created strategic partnerships with leading industry, government and community organisations across the globe.

As Vice-Chancellor, Dr Spence has been responsible for raising a record one billion Australian dollars through the INSPIRED philanthropic campaign - the largest philanthropic campaign in Australian history. This fundraising has transformed the university’s campus by funding major new research and education centres, bringing resources to life-changing medical research and providing more than 2,000 scholarships and education initiatives for new and existing students.

Dr Spence is recognised internationally as a leader in the field of intellectual property theory and holds a Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Oxford, where he headed Oxford’s Law faculty and Social Sciences division. 

An alumnus of the University of Sydney, Dr Spence has a BA with first-class honours in English, Italian and Law. His other languages include Chinese and Korean.

In 2017, Dr Spence was named a Companion of the Order of Australia in recognition of his service to the higher education sector and in 2018 he was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of New South Wales.

Dr Spence moved to London in 2021 with his wife and his four youngest children.

Mia Forbes Pirie

Mia Forbes Pirie (LLB Law with French Law 1998) is one of the UK's leading international mediators and winner of the UK Independent Mediator of the Year 2022 Corporate International Award. Her work ranges from dealing with personal matters like divorce and neighbour complaints to mediating on a global scale for G7 countries, the Government of Mongolia, the EU, the Church of England and Members of Parliament. She has advised the US Department of Energy on using facilitated negotiation to develop legislation, enabling them to reach peaceful solutions and positive transformation. The subject matters she has dealt with include space, chemicals, oil and gas, sustainability, refugees, same-sex marriage, race, competition law and property law. Described as “a quiet storm”, Mia is trilingual, holds both a Masters of Law and Science, has spoken at Chatham House on Conflict Resolution and hosted the European Union Commission's Business Awards for the Environment.

Professor Prince Saprai

Professor of Law at UCL

Seyi Osi

Equity & Inclusion Officer at Students' Union UCL

Professor Teresa Bejan

Professor of Political Theory at University of Oxford