Sarah Kemp has been appointed Lancaster's new Pro Vice-Chancellor for Engagement and will be joining the University in July.
Sarah is currently Chief Executive of Lancashire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and brings a strong track record in leadership of cross-organisation partnership working, facilitating collaborations, leading transformation across local places and securing investment for positive social, economic, financial and environmental impact.
In her new role Sarah will provide strategic leadership in driving forward the University's engagement plan. This includes leading on engagement with staff, students and all local, regional and external stakeholders. Sarah's remit will also cover core aspects of the government's levelling up agenda, including regional funding.
Recently Sarah has been responsible for leading Lancashire's £374m Growth Deal Programme and secured a further £34m of Getting Building Fund to invest in projects to create new jobs and stimulate the green economy. She was responsible for partnership delivery of BOOST Growth Hub, Lancashire Skills and Employment Hub and strategic delivery of Lancashire's 4 Enterprise Zones.
Working with partners, including Lancaster University, Sarah secured the Government decision to establish the new National Cyber Security Centre at Samlesbury, as part of a £5bn Government investment, which recognised the outstanding cyber and security related credentials of the University as core to Lancashire's proposition.
Before joining Lancashire LEP, Sarah developed a new £150m investment programme in local government and established a new housing development company which built affordable and sustainable homes. Sarah has successfully led regional programmes of publicly-funded inward investment, trade, business support, sector development and skills and training programmes. She has also led international business development, particularly focused in areas of life science research and mass spectrometry.
Sarah said: "I am honoured and thrilled to take up this post, and very excited to be working with an exceptional leadership team who have strong ambitions for the performance and future direction of the University. Lancaster University holds a strong and well-deserved reputation for research and teaching excellence and I look forward to working with the whole community to ensure that the huge potential benefit of all the assets, capabilities and services the University has to offer, translate into wider benefit for communities and places beyond."
Professor Andy Schofield, Vice-Chancellor of Lancaster University welcomed the appointment, saying: "I am delighted that we have secured Sarah into the role of Pro Vice-Chancellor for Engagement. She brings people together to make a profound impact - something we have experienced under her guidance with a number of major initiatives in Lancashire. I look forward to Sarah taking this forward as she leads the work our university community does in partnership with our city, our region and beyond to make a positive change."
