Lancaster University reveals its new vice-chancellor as Professor Steve Decent

Lancaster University has named its next vice-chancellor as Professor Steve Decent, the current principal and vice-chancellor of Glasgow Caledonian University.

He will join Lancaster on 1st January 2026, and will be the eighth person to take on the role of vice-chancellor at Lancaster University.

Professor Decent will step in for Professor Andy Schofield, who will leave Lancaster University in September 2025 to join the University of Glasgow as principal, having spent four years at Lancaster.

Deputy vice-chancellor Professor Rebecca Lingwood will undertake the role of interim vice-chancellor until Professor Decent begins. 

As well as his role in Glasgow, Professor Decent is chair of Universities Scotland’s Research and Knowledge Exchange Committee.

He has also spent a significant amount of time at Lancaster University in the past, having been the pro-vice chancellor for research and enterprise from 2014 and having taken on the pro vice-chancellor for academic development role in 2019.   

The appointing committee at Lancaster University said they were “especially impressed with the sense of leadership and vision which Professor Decent presented during a time of challenge for the Higher Education sector in the UK, coupled with an inclusive approach to the role which reflected the University’s values”. 

Pro-chancellor at Lancaster University, Rt Hon Alastair Burt, said: “Professor Decent has shown impressive leadership, energy and vision and a deep understanding of Lancaster’s values and culture. We look forward to welcoming him back to the university where he left such a lasting mark. Lancaster University embarks on its next chapter in capable hands.” 

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The professor has held senior roles across other UK universities including Provost and deputy vice-chancellor at Manchester Metropolitan University. He was also vice principal and head of the College of Art, Science and Engineering at the University of Dundee.

He was the chair of the Strategic Executive Group of the N8 Research Partnership, and also chaired the Jisc-UUK Content Negotiation Strategy Group which oversees negotiations with publishers on behalf of the UK higher education sector. 

Professor Decent said: “I am excited to be returning to Lancaster University as vice-chancellor. I greatly enjoyed my time at the university and I can see that Lancaster’s brilliant staff and students have continued to deliver excellent education and research in the years since I left the university. I look forward to getting to know everyone in the months ahead of my start, to listening to staff, students and stakeholders, and co-creating an exciting future for Lancaster University.”  

Featured image via Lancaster University