Vice Chancellor and Executive | Middlesex University

Our experienced and dedicated University Executive Team (UET) is led by the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Shân Wareing.

As a team and a community, we are committed to providing flexible and accessible practice-led education, impactful research and strong engagement with practice to make a difference to key global challenges.

About the Vice-Chancellor

Professor Shân Wareing

Professor Shân Wareing took up her position as the Vice-Chancellor of Middlesex University in April 2024.

Prior to this role she was Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the University of Northampton, and other executive roles she has held include Chief Operating Officer at London South Bank University and Pro Vice-Chancellor Learning and Teaching at Buckinghamshire New University.

She has a track record of leading institutional transformation programmes include assessment at University of the Arts London, leading to a 12% uplift in the assessment and feedback questions in the National Student Survey sustained over 10 years, digital transformation of the student journey at London South Bank University, which won a PwC award, and recruitment improvements at the University of Northampton, leading to an uplift in recruitment of 18-year-old students, ahead of comparable higher education institutions.

Shân’s first full-time job was as a Lecturer in English Language and Linguistics at the University of Roehampton, before she moved into the field of Education Development, during which period she was Co-Chair of the Staff and Educational Development Association.

She is Chair of the charity, Unite Foundation, Chair of Advance-HE’s Leadership and Management Strategic Advisory Group, and Co-Chair of the Advance HE Leadership Framework Steering Group. She has published in the fields of linguistics, equality, diversity and inclusion, leadership and team development, and learning and teaching in higher education. Her current scholarly interests are university leadership and governance from the perspective of diversity and inclusion, digital transformation, and higher education policy.

Shân grew up in Swansea, Wales, and studied English Literature and Language at the University of Oxford, and Sociolinguistics at the University of Strathclyde. She was a competitive rower for many years and has a rowing half-blue from Oxford. Shân holds a postgraduate diploma in Higher Education studies from the Institute of Education, University College London, she is a Professor of Teaching in Higher Education, a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and a National Teaching Fellow.

In her role as the Vice-Chancellor, Shân leads the University's diverse and innovative community, including staff, students and partners in an outstandingly collaborative and inclusive culture.

As the Accountable Officer to the Office for Students, Shân has responsibility for:

Overall leadership and management of the University
Overall financial health of the University
Ensuring the delivery of the University's mission, aims and objectives set out in our Strategy
Promoting and advocating the University globally, nationally and locally

Shân is the University's principal representative in articulating the University’s interests and needs to the wider world. She also plays an important role in representing Middlesex University to government, businesses, funders and to national, global and local stakeholders.

An important part of Shân's role is to deliver our University Mission and Strategic Plan to be a global university, operating at new levels of accessibility, working in new forms of partnership and developing new understandings of the world through which our growing community can influence it for the good.

Shân shapes the strategic direction of the University in partnership with the Board of Governors and is accountable to the Chair of the Board of Governors. She is also a full member of the Board of Governors.

All members of the University Executive Team report to Shân as the Vice-Chancellor.

Vice-Chancellor's Inauguration

On 15 January 2025, we celebrated the inauguration of our Vice-Chancellor Professor Shân Wareing. This special ceremony marked the official start of Shân as our new Vice-Chancellor and a new era for the University as we count down towards our 150 year anniversary in 2028.

Watch back our video below of Shân's speech at the ceremony to hear about her personal journey to Middlesex and why her new role means so much, as well as her thoughts on the importance of higher education to individuals and to communities.

Read a summary of Shân's speech

Vice-Chancellor's Inauguration speech at Middlesex University

About the Executive

Interim Chief Financial Officer

Louise Sargeant

As Interim Chief Financial Officer, Louise is responsible for the overall strategic financial position and direction of the University, as well as our relationships with banks and pension schemes, the financial element of our relationship with the OfS and finance processes including payroll processing, tax compliance, financial regulation, treasury management, debt collection and research grant accounting.

Chief Information Officer

James Smith

James Smith joined Middlesex University in the new position of Chief Information Officer in October 2024. He was previously at Birkbeck, University of London for 16 years in roles including Chief Information Officer, Director of Process Improvement and Corporate Information Systems and Director of IT.

James studied Computer Science and holds an MBA in Higher Education Management from UCL IOE. Earlier in his career he helped universities including Middlesex implement and develop their Banner student systems, when he worked for SunGard Higher Education (now Ellucian). He has been a Universities and Colleges Information Systems Association (UCISA) trustee since 2021 and is Chair of UCISA’s Corporate Information Systems Group (CISG).

With vast experience in corporate system implementation projects on both the customer and supplier side, James has worked on small- and large-scale institutional change, process discovery and improvement projects in areas as diverse as student systems, HR, payroll, finance, timetabling, and access control. He has led work to establish and embed agile working across professional services, and to improve resilience through modernised and rationalised infrastructure. In addition, James has developed a Digital Education function using technology to support academics in teaching and enhancing the student experience, and has established an integrated Information Services combining library and IT services.

In his role as Chief Information Officer, James will ensure digital technologies are integral to all strategic decisions. He is responsible for the University’s Digital Strategy, and for leading Library, IT and digital services.

Interim Chief Operating Officer

Dr Tim Westlake

Dr Tim Westlake is our Interim Chief Operating Officer, having joined Middlesex University in July 2024. Tim has over 30 years of experience working in Higher Education. Prior to joining Middlesex, Tim was Chief Operating Officer and University Secretary at the University of Sussex. Previously, he held leadership and academic roles in institutions including The University of Manchester, Cardiff University and Birmingham City University.

Tim gained a Bachelor's, Master’s and PhD in Town Planning at Cardiff University. He was a Board Member of the British Council's Education Counselling Services, Chair of Wales Higher Education International Liaison Association and Chair of the Board of the Wales International Consortium. In addition, Tim was a Member of the British Council Global Alumni Strategy Advisory Group; the British Council Technical Advisory Group Predicting the Global Demand for International Education; the UCAS Board of Directors; and a Member of the National Qualifications Information Review Steering Group.

As Interim Chief Operating Officer, Tim has overall responsibility for Professional Services across the University.

Pro Vice-Chancellor, Education and Student Experience

Dr Ellen Buck

Dr Ellen Buck joined the University in the position of Pro Vice-Chancellor Education and Student Experience in February 2025. Prior to this role, Ellen was Director of Learning and Teaching at the University of Suffolk, with responsibility for the Centre of Excellence in Learning and Teaching, Access and Participation, the Teaching Excellence Framework, Educational Development and Quality Enhancement, Student Experience and Library and Learning Services. While there she also led a Research Centre with work relating to widening access and social mobility and pedagogic innovation and has published in these areas.

Ellen has significant experience of transforming learning and teaching, and student experience. Having led the University of Suffolk’s COVID-19 response for learning and teaching, she developed and implemented the Block and Blend method of designing and delivering curriculum, making Suffolk the first university in the UK to roll out block approaches at undergraduate level. As a result, continuation rates increased by 13% and the University achieved TEF Silver in all components. She has experience of working with apprenticeships, securing an Ofsted rating of Good for the quality of learning and teaching and has worked with a range of further education and private providers in the UK and internationally.

Ellen has also Chaired the Quality Assurance Agency Subject Benchmark Statement review for Librarianship, Information, Knowledge, Records and Archives Management, and is a member of the AdvanceHE Strategic Advisory Group for Teaching and Learning. She developed experience of library services management in her work at Falmouth University and in the civil services. She has a degree in Italian, Master's in Information Management and Doctorate in Education. She is also a Principal Fellow of AdvanceHE.

In her role as Pro Vice-Chancellor Education and Student Experience, Ellen provides strategic leadership for delivery of an excellent academic experience for students at Middlesex University and for ensuring staff have access to the support and development opportunities they need to excel in their roles. She is an advocate for collaborative working and co-creation, placing students at the centre of her leadership.

Pro Vice-Chancellor, Global Research and Knowledge Exchange and Interim Dean of Faculty of Arts and Creative Industries

Professor Janet Jones

Professor Janet Jones is Pro Vice-Chancellor, Global Research and Knowledge Exchange and Interim Dean of our Faculty of Arts and Creative Industries, having joined Middlesex University in October 2024. Janet has previously held positions including Pro Vice-Chancellor Knowledge Exchange, and Head of the College of Design, Creative and Digital Industries, at the University of Westminster. Other senior roles she has held include Dean at London South Bank University and Associate Head at the University of West of England.

Prior to her higher education roles, Janet has 16 years of strong industry experience gained at the BBC in high-impact positions such as Series Editor, Executive Producer and Director of the BBC’s Canadian office in Toronto.

Janet has led large faculties and significant transnational education partnerships, and in previous roles has built external links to enhance civic, commercial, innovation and business engagement. Her focus on knowledge transfer has enhanced universities’ capacity to deliver measurable economic and social impacts. Importantly, she places student success and teaching excellence at the heart of her leadership, ensuring students benefit directly from a rich research and knowledge exchange environment. Janet advocates for flexible and agile operating models that support the connections between teaching, research and knowledge exchange. She has published in the areas of Public Service Broadcasting, Television, Journalism and Media Policy.

In her role as Pro Vice-Chancellor, Global Research and Knowledge Exchange, Janet provides strategic leadership for the University’s International Campuses, civic engagement, Research and Knowledge Exchange, and commercialisation of academic activity, including innovations in qualifications and portfolio. Janet will be leading the institutional preparations for REF 2028, and the Knowledge Exchange Framework (KEF) and work to enhance our business-to-business engagement across the organisation.

Dean, Faculty of Business and Law

Professor Martin Broad

Professor Martin Broad is the Dean of our Faculty of Business and Law, which includes the Business School and the School of Law and Social Sciences.

Martin has over 30 years of experience of Higher Education, with former appointments as Professor and Dean of the Faculty of Business, Law and Digital Technologies at the University of Winchester, Head of Southampton University Business School (QS 100 and Russell Group), and former Vice Chair of the Chartered Association of Business Schools Council. He also holds an honorary professorship from Amity University, India.

Martin has been a successful entrepreneur as well as being a chartered management accountant providing clear leadership in all his previous appointments. While at the University of Southampton, Martin also secured initial Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) accreditation for the Business School, reaccreditation of Association of MBAs (AMBA) and secured the Small Business Charter at the University of Winchester Business School.

Martin has successfully supervised over a dozen doctoral students to completion and has extensive educational experience and research interests in governance and performance management in the public sector, particularly in Higher Education with his PhD in the same area from the University of Bath.

Interim Dean, Faculty of Health, Social Care and Education

Dr Sinead Mehigan

Dr Sinead Mehigan is the Interim Dean of our Faculty of Health, Social Care and Education.

Previously, she was Head of our Department of Nursing and Midwifery for many years. Her clinical background is in perioperative nursing. Over her career, Sinead has held positions in clinical practice, clinical commissioning, and as an academic and academic manager. Her academic interests include leadership, anaesthetic and perioperative nursing, mentorship, preceptorship, workforce development, nursing retention and supporting learners in practice.

Sinead is committed to working in partnership with local employers to develop a professional workforce across health, social care and education settings. In addition to her academic role, she has worked at regional level on a range of system-wide programmes to develop and retain a healthcare workforce. This includes the CapitalNurse programme since it was set up in 2015, and being part of the Nursing Workforce programme at North Central London Integrated Care System (NCL ICS).

More recently, Sinead has been co-director and co-chair of the North Central London Clinical Academic Nexus (NCL CAN), working with colleagues across NCL to create space for professional conversations about nursing.

Dean, Faculty of Science and Technology

Professor Balbir Barn

Professor Balbir Barn is the Dean of our Faculty of Science and Technology.

Balbir is Professor of Software Engineering and his previous appointments in higher education include Associate Dean for Business in our former School of Engineering and Information Science, and Head of Department at the University of West London. In these roles, Balbir has led on curriculum design and delivery, quality assurance of education, advancing technology enhanced learning in the curriculum and leading on developing capacity in research infrastructure. Through collaborations with the universities of Southampton and Royal Holloway, he pioneered the use of mobile technology for practice-based learning in social work and nursing.

Balbir has an international reputation in software engineering and extensive commercial research experience working on model driven software engineering in research centres as well as leading on funded academic research (over £2.5m). He has also provided consultancy to clients including JP Morgan Chase and JISC. His work is multi-disciplinary, for example working with criminologists and sociologists in applying technology to tackle social challenges such as surveillance and cyber-crime, and in social media research. Since 2012, Balbir has been collaborating with TCS Research India to develop key advances in Digital Twin technology, and his research in Digital Twins is recognised through consultancy with the UK Home Office and keynote presentations at leading international conferences.

The recently-completed Mobile Apps for Youth Offending Teams (MAYOT) project is being evaluated by several youth offending services in Wales and England. Balbir has published over 130 peer-reviewed papers in leading international conferences and journals.

Summary of University Executive Team responsibilities

The Vice-Chancellor

Leads the organisation
Answers to the Chair and the Governors
Acts under explicit delegations
With the Executive Team, develops the strategic approach.

The University Executive Team

Ensures delivery of the University's mission
With the Vice-Chancellor, develops the strategic approach
Individually carries out specific responsibilities determined by the Vice-Chancellor.

Academic board

The Academic Board, which is chaired by our Vice-Chancellor, is made up of 30 individuals that advise on the recruitment and retention of our students, the content of our curriculum, and the assessment and examination process.

The Academic Board provides advice on:

General issues relating to the research, scholarship, teaching and courses at the University
Criteria for the admission of students
The appointment and removal of internal and external examiners
Assessment and examination of the academic performance of students
Content of the curriculum
Academic standards, and the validation and review of courses
Award of qualifications and honorary academic titles
Expulsion of students for academic reasons
Development of academic activities and relevant resources

Vice-Chancellor and the University Executive Team