Strengthening the university executive: The expanding roles and remit of deputy and pro-vice-chancellors

Abstract

Deputy and pro-vice-chancellors (DVCs and PVCs) are core members of the executive team and play a pivotal role in university management. Nevertheless, they have rarely been the subject of empirical investigation. This study addresses this research gap, utilising a census to examine the size and remit of the DVC and PVC cohort in English pre-1992 universities and map its evolution since 2005. It shows how these universities have increased the number of DVCs and PVCs, created new more managerial variants of the role and extended their collective remit. These developments evidence the extent to which pre-1992 universities have strengthened their executive and adopted a more corporate post-1992 university management model. Yet, despite the advent of new executive-style roles, the endurance of the traditional floating policy PVC testifies to the continued salience of academic leadership—as well as more managerial approaches—in contemporary university management.