Dr Mike Wilkinson, Deputy Vice-Chancellor
MA, PhD, CDir, MIoD
Mike joined Southampton Solent Univerity as Deputy Vice-Chancellor in August 2010. He is responsible for student recruitment, marketing and the international office, and oversees the activities of the three faculties. Mike represents the University at the local Chamber of Commerce, the Hampshire Asian Network, and Business Solent; on the Board of Solent Synergy; and as a Trustee of Sport Solent in the Community. He is currently working on projects to enhance the interaction of the University with business.
Mike is a Visiting Professor at the National Academy of Education Administration, Beijing, China and also at the Shanghai Institute of Design. His research interests include widening participation in higher education and leadership, particularly with an international dimension. Mike is a Chartered Director and actively participates locally with the Institute of Directors.
Mike was previously Pro Vice Chancellor at London South Bank University. He is a frequent international visitor and has established strategic collaborations with several leading universities. These include founding the Confucius Institute for Traditional Chinese Medicine, London, and the Centre for Efficient and Renewable Energy in Buildings, both of which he chaired. He was formerly a board member of local strategic partnerships in two London boroughs and of the South Bank Employers' Group.
Prior to returning to the sector in 2003, Mike worked for Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI) - a global chemical company - for 22 years in leadership roles in Research and Development. This included extensive international work in Asia Pacific, America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa and secondments to live in Germany (four years) and France (two years), where he operated through the German and French languages. He worked with the steel, aluminium, domestic appliance and building sectors as customers, and researched, developed and launched innovative, patented products into the market place. He has worked in the business-to-business and business-to-consumer sectors and has lengthy experience with household international brand names.
Mike studied at the University of Cambridge (Trinity College) obtaining an MA degree in Natural Sciences, followed by a PhD in Synthetic Organic Chemistry.