Longest serving UK university vice-chancellor marks three decades of service
by Educate Magazine June 22, 2023 · Sixth Form & College News
The UK’s longest serving university vice-chancellor is looking to the future as he reflects on 30 years at the helm.
During his 30 years as the head of Edge Hill University, Dr Cater has overseen a period of unprecedented growth and some £300m has been invested in the campus over the last decade, delivering 17 new buildings providing state-of-the-art facilities.
Edge Hill University has prospered over the last three decades, culminating in the university being identified as the Times Higher ‘University of the Year’ in the middle of the last decade and, more recently, Educate North’s University of the Year in 2020/21 and The Times and Sunday Times’ ‘Modern University of the Year’ in 2022.
“There is more to do. Having invested £350m in the western and eastern campuses, we are now commencing a parallel investment in the campus core, with a vision of making this a match for any university in our region and beyond. And it will be fun doing so.”
Edge Hill College opened in Liverpool in 1885 as the first non-denominational teacher training college for women. From its origins as a specialist institution with 41 female trainee teachers, Edge Hill now has more than 10,000 full-time undergraduate students and more than 300 part-time undergraduate students on a wide range of programmes, and about 3,300 full and part-time postgraduate students.
Dr Cater was appointed as acting director and chief executive of what would later become Edge Hill University on 22 June 1993 and was at the helm in 2006 when Taught Degree-Awarding Powers and University Title were awarded; Research Degree Awarding Powers followed in 2008.
