Vice-Chancellor David Richardson resigns as UEA sits in £30 million of debt

University of East Anglia’s Vice-Chancellor Professor David Richardson has resigned.

At the beginning of the year the professor came under scrutiny over staff and pay cuts at the university whilst he was still receiving a salary of £283,000.

Now, in an email sent to all students yesterday morning, David Richardson has announced his resignation stating that the university needs a “new vision”.

An earlier email sent out last week also to all students addressed the debt that the university is in. It explained how the university’s budget is in a shortage of £30m for this academic year (2023/2024 ) and that this debt could rise to £45m in three years’ time.

On his resignation, the now-former Vice-Chancellor said: “I have been conscious of the need for a new vision for UEA since we began to emerge from Covid in 2021 and have deliberated whether I am the person to lead that vision or whether a new vision needs a new leader. ”

The professor has been a part of UEA for 32 years, since joining as a lecturer in 1991, he was in the Executive Team for 15 and spent nine years as Vice-Chancellor and a senior staff member.

Students have been reassured that “UEA is an incredibly successful institution which delivers outstanding education to thousands of students from across the world, and globally-recognised research.

“We have been open about the challenges we face and the leadership of the University and UEA Council are confident in the steps they are taking to deliver UEA’s long term financial stability and to ensure a successful future vision and strategy for the University.”

Provost and Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Christine Bovis-Cnossen will be Acting Vice-Chancellor. It’s been assured that the UEA Council have begun the “search for David’s successor”.

Featured image via YouTube.

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