UCL announces new Vice-Provost (Education & Student Experience)

Professor Shaw takes up this crucial role at UCL with responsibility for leading education, student experience and student life strategies from 22 September 2025.

She brings extensive leadership experience within academic institutions from a variety of senior roles at the University of Adelaide, where she is currently Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Academic), responsible for teaching excellence, quality assurance, student experience and support services for students across all disciplines. She is renowned as a collaborative leader of change, in particular helping to steer the university through the Covid pandemic and developing innovative ways for students to pursue their learning. She has also played a major role in the creation of Adelaide University, a new institution launching in 2026 as a result of the merger of the University of Adelaide with the University of South Australia.

Prior to being appointed to her current role in 2021, which she held in an interim position from 2020, Professor Shaw was the University of Adelaide’s Executive Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (later the Faculty of Arts) since 2013, in which role she is credited for leading a period of renewed excellence and reinvigoration for the Faculty, developing new and successful programmes, attracting leading academics, adding the School of Education to the Faculty, and enlarging its focus on community engagement and schools outreach. Other leadership roles have included serving as Pro Vice-Chancellor & Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at the University of New England and as Head of School and Associate Dean of the Sydney Conservatorium of Music at the University of Sydney.

With academic backgrounds in both music and law, Jennie has an international profile in her research field of historical musicology and has published widely on composer Arnold Schoenberg and the Second Viennese School. She is an experienced commentator on higher education leadership and a sought-after academic supervisor and staff mentor.

Welcoming her appointment, Dr Michael Spence, President & Provost of UCL, said:

“This is a really crucial role for UCL and I am thrilled that we have been able to recruit an experienced and agile leader with such a tremendous track record of creating environments in which talent is nurtured and excellence can thrive. Professor Shaw’s thoughtful and collaborative approach to leadership and her understanding of how to build strong teams and successfully lead change will be an invaluable addition to our senior team. I am delighted to welcome her to UCL.”

Professor Shaw said: 

“I am delighted to be joining UCL’s senior leadership team in this vital role. I look forward to working collaboratively with UCL’s outstanding staff and talented students to deliver educational excellence, interdisciplinary innovation and a distinctive and exceptional student experience."

Professor Shaw will take up the role following the retirement of Professor Kathy Armour, who has been UCL’s Vice-Provost (Education & Student Experience) since January 2022. During her time at UCL, Professor Armour has focused in particular on improving student experience and academic opportunities, leading the development and delivery of the education strategy, including the Statement of Education Excellence, Extended Learning Opportunities and the Programme Excellence Project. She has also led work at UCL and within the Russell Group to understand and proactively manage the evolving risks and opportunities of AI.

Dr Spence said:

“Kathy is a hugely expert and experienced leader in the field of education and professional learning and she has led a very active programme of change and improvement at UCL across her portfolio. Above all, she has been a passionate advocate for students as co-creators, for ensuring that their voice is always properly represented and heard, and for giving them the experience they are entitled to expect from UCL. We are all very grateful to her and will miss her a great deal.”