Cara Aitchison

Professor Cara Aitchison has been President and Vice-Chancellor of Cardiff Metropolitan University since 2016 where she is also Professor of Geography and Cultural Economy.

With over 30 years' experience in higher education Professor Aitchison has led significant growth and change management programmes developing universities' reputations, finance, internationalisation and student experience. She is committed to values-driven leadership that integrates civic, economic and international agendas to widen participation in university education with the purpose of transforming lives, communities, economies and inter-cultural relations.

Within her subject fields Professor Aitchison has a global reputation for her research; she was the Chair of the UK Research Excellence Framework (REF 2014) Sub-Panel for Sport and Exercise Science, Leisure and Tourism, a Member of the Main Panel for Social Sciences and is an Honorary Professor in the Department of Health at the University of Bath (2015-). She is also a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences (2003); Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales (2018), Senior Fellow of the World Leisure Academy (2010), Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society (2016) and Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (2001).

In partnership with the Board of Governors, staff, students and stakeholders the Vice-Chancellor has overall responsibility for the University's strategy, executive and operations and is the Chair of the Vice-Chancellor's Executive Group, the Academic Board and the Management Board.