Peter Mathieson has announced that he will not seek a third term as Principal and Vice Chancellor at the University of Edinburgh, meaning that he will step down in 2028. By the time he steps down, he will have spent ten years in this role.
The decision was announced at the University Court on 5 October, which is the university’s governing body and regularly meets behind closed doors.
A statement on behalf of Mathieson said: “Peter shared his decision, underlining his enduring commitment to Edinburgh with a pledge to remain fully engaged in his work as Principal until the last day of his tenure, which is expected to be in early 2028.
“In a personal speech, he reflected on the challenges the University has navigated, as well as the many significant successes and improvements made since he joined in February 2018.”
In Mathieson’s speech, he said: “It has been my immense privilege to lead two of the world’s great universities. Every decision that I have made, and those of the executive teams I have led, have always kept the University’s best interests uppermost. We have always acted in good faith, believing we were doing the right things, which are very rarely the easiest things.”
He continued: “I am keenly aware that higher education is at a pivotal moment. At Edinburgh, we are making the tough decisions necessary to restore our University to financial sustainability and resilience for the years ahead. There will be plenty of time for me to thank colleagues and reflect on my time here in due course. For now, I am fully focussed on our task at hand, giving it my full attention until the last day of my tenure in around 16 months’ time.”
This announcement comes amidst five weeks of industrial action due to the university’s hugely controversial financial decision to cut £140m of its expenditure, £90m of which will come from staffing cuts.
Furthermore, last month the university unveiled plans to cut 90 degree programmes as of next academic year, prompting further disruption and criticism.
Staff and students protested outside the John McIntyre Conference Centre (JMCC), whilst the University Court meeting was taking place inside.
On finding a replacement, a spokesperson for the university said: “Following today’s announcement, the University will set out plans for a recruitment campaign to appoint a successor. The process will include consultation with staff, students and alumni.
The agreed timeframe will allow the University to identify a new leader and ensure a smooth and orderly transition.”
The first consultations for students are set to take place on 27 and 28 October.
Following the announcement, Mathieson told The Herald that he sees himself as “the steward” of the university, and that “If I got hit by a bus this morning, nothing would change.”
Regarding the uncertainty of the cuts, he said: “We’re getting there. It’s been an enormously complex analytical exercise.”
The University and College Union (UCU) said in a statement: “We welcome the news of his stepping down, and we want to encourage him to do the right thing now: start listening to the voices of staff and students; negotiate with UCU; make a proposal to end the strike; and ultimately resolve this dispute that is entirely of the University management’s making.”
Mathieson told The Scotsman last week that he cannot guarantee that compulsory redundancies can be avoided: “They [the UCU] insist on a guarantee. We insist that we can’t give it.”
The Vice Chancellor also told The Scotsman that the “UCU have “weaponised the students by knowing that the way to influence the leadership is to disadvantage the students.
“I think that anybody that really genuinely believes in education or genuinely cares about students would not take such actions.”
The UCU have called these comments “completely disingenuous.”
They continued: “Since last July, when the strike was decided, the union has given management countless opportunities to avoid it… Instead, Peter Mathieson came to the negotiation meeting the week before the strike started, offered literally nothing, and hasn’t met with the UCU since.”
Image by Paul Dodds, provided to The Student for press use.
