Vice-Chancellor Advisory Committee to include student for first time

PG SU President Anjum Nahar will sit on the committee to appoint the next Vice-Chancellor, alongside 11 other academics and Regent House members

Professor Stephen Toope will step down from the role in September 2022Varsity

by Georgia Goble

This article is 4 years old

Friday October 29 2021, 12:00am

For the first time, the Vice-Chancellor Advisory Committee for Nominations will include a student representative, according to the recent edition of the Cambridge University Reporter.

The committee is responsible for advising the Council on choosing a candidate to take over as Vice-Chancellor from Professor Stephen Toope, who announced in September that he would step down from the role next year, after a five year tenure.

Professor Stephen Toope to complete his term as Vice-Chancellor in 2022 after ‘upheaval of Covid’

Anjum Nahar, who is the Postgraduate President of the Cambridge Student Union (SU), will sit on the committee alongside 11 others, including Regent House resident members and academics. A member of the postdoctoral community, Dr Joshua Kaggie, will also be included in the committee.

Anjum told Varsity: "As the Postgraduate President of Cambridge SU, I am delighted by the decision made by the chairs of this committee to include student representation within the advisory body, following conversations between the chairs and student members of University Council."

She continued: "This will enable the SU to meaningfully consult student representatives, in order to ensure that the views of the student community are properly considered during the selection process."

An external member will also be selected who “is, or was until recently, the Vice-Chancellor or equivalent of a university”. This member will be confirmed in or before Lent Term in the next academic year.

Consultations and open meetings will take place to allow members of the University to inform the search.

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