Sir Peter Mathieson, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Edinburgh, will step down in early 2028 after deciding not to seek a third term, the university announced on 5 October.

He told University Court, the university’s governing body, that he had made the decision earlier this year. His tenure is expected to end in around 16 months, by which time he will have served ten years; he joined Edinburgh in February 2018. The university said it will set out plans for a recruitment campaign to appoint a successor, and that the agreed timeframe will allow it to identify a new leader and ensure a smooth and orderly transition. It has not named a search firm, a shortlist timetable or any candidates.

A departure announced during a strike

The announcement came as the University and College Union was in the second week of strike action at Edinburgh. STV reported in September that around 3,000 UCU members would strike for 25 days over five weeks from 28 September, in a dispute over the university’s plan to find £140 million in savings. The union has warned that up to 1,800 jobs are at risk, according to Times Higher Education, which reported that Edinburgh has cut 90 programmes as part of efforts to save £140 million from its annual budget, including £90 million in salary savings. The university’s announcement gives no financial figures.

In his remarks, published by the university, Sir Peter defended the decisions taken under his leadership.

We have always acted in good faith, believing we were doing the right things, which are very rarely the easiest things.

Sir Peter Mathieson, Principal and Vice-Chancellor, University of Edinburgh

He said Edinburgh is making the tough decisions necessary to restore the university to financial sustainability and resilience, and that he will stay fully focused on the role until the last day of his tenure.

His record, as the university describes it

The university’s statement credits his tenure with investment in teaching and student wellbeing, research and innovation, securing the UK’s next national supercomputer, commitments on social mobility, record philanthropic fundraising and a new model of student support. His previous roles include President of the University of Hong Kong and Dean of Medicine and Dentistry at the University of Bristol. He was knighted in the 2023 New Year Honours and has led work on international security for Universities UK and the Russell Group for five years, the university said. Times Higher Education noted that he is a professor of renal medicine and still teaches.

What it means

TED analysis:

  • Succession: A 16-month runway gives Court time for an international search, but the next principal will inherit job and programme decisions taken before they arrive. Strong candidates will want clarity on the savings plan and its end point before they commit.
  • Governance: Announcing the departure mid-strike does not settle the dispute. Staff and unions are likely to treat the recruitment process, including who sits on the selection panel, as a signal of whether the savings programme continues in its current form.
  • Sector: Edinburgh’s announcement came in the same week that Nottingham confirmed its own restructuring. Executive search firms and governing bodies should expect more vice-chancellor recruitments at universities that are part way through large cost-cutting programmes.