New Pro-Vice Chancellor appointed

Nona McDuff has been appointed to the position of Pro Vice-Chancellor, Students and Teaching at Solent University.

Nona joins Solent from her current role as Director of Student Achievement at Kingston University.  She is highly regarded in the higher education sector and was awarded an OBE in 2017 for her services to higher education. Nona is also a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

Confirming the appointment, Solent’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Professor Julie Hall says: I am delighted that Nona will be joining us at Solent. Nona brings with her a wealth of knowledge and experience in raising attainment and enhancing teaching across the curricula. She will be an incredible asset to our leadership team and to the University.”

Nona is a panel member of the Teaching Excellence Framework and was a member of the ministerial Social Mobility Advisory Group which has prioritised the challenges and barriers students face in higher education. As the chair of the Higher Education Race Action Group (HERAG) with over 400 members, Nona was invited to address the All Party Parliamentary Group on higher education on diversity in academia where she challenged ministers to take active steps to promote social justice through education. Nona has won over £500,000 to support student success and disseminate her practice across the sector.

Commenting on her appointment, Nona says: “I am delighted to be joining the team at Solent University. It is clear to me that there is a strong commitment to excellence which can be seen in the resources, services and curricula offered to students. I look forward to combining my experience across the sector with the knowledge and skills of the teams at Solent to ensure students from all backgrounds are able to thrive during their time with us.

 Nona’s research interests include inclusive curricula and differential attainment and is regularly invited to speak on disability and widening participation and contribute to policy development.