Academic Provost and Associate Vice-President (International)

Joining hands with India

With an ambitious and compelling agenda, we are excited to announce our approval from the University Grants Commission to open India’s first-ever comprehensive Foreign Higher Education Institution (FHEI) campus, the University of Southampton Delhi, based in Delhi NCR.

This campus is one of the University’s top strategic priorities, and as a result we are seeking a standout candidate with a deep affinity with south Asia to join us on this exciting journey as our founding Academic Provost & Associate Vice-President (International). 

Currently ranked 80th in the world*, our Strategy encapsulates our Triple Helix of excellence: research, education, knowledge exchange and enterprise. The University of Southampton Delhi will be the highest-ranked university, and the only world top 100 university, with a campus in India¹, creating a long-term presence, and undertaking education, research, enterprise and engagement in India.

As the Academic Provost & Associate Vice-President (International), you will lead and have oversight of the Delhi campus, and its academic programmes, including: research and enterprise; education across multiple disciplines; student experience; and civic and public engagement.

This role is central to the University’s internationalisation and our aspirations to become a globally relevant and engaged institution. Our Delhi campus is central to delivering our strategy and goals and will be perfectly placed within one of the most important countries in terms of emergence as a global power and expansion of its higher education system.

Join us

The Delhi campus will reflect the University’s overall vision of building an inclusive world where knowledge is applied to transform lives. The campus will focus on:  

• Applying the real-world benefits of Southampton research to solve fundamental social and environmental challenges on the largest scale, thus enabling India to become the leading light globally on progress with the UN SDGs. 
• Building capacity through the provision of transformational enterprise and employment-focused education opportunities to talented but underserved Indian students, thereby also positively impacting their families and communities. 
• Learning from and alongside Indian thought leaders, entrepreneurs, innovators and academic talent in a rising global superpower, and collaborating to build shared expertise, networks and insights.

About you

You will have a proven track record of leading teams and taking responsibility for a significant function that contributes to the overall success of the organisation.  With innovative thinking and passion, you will be a key decision-maker, inspiring and motivating others to ensure the successful launch of the campus. Along with the ability to communicate clearly with a broad range of individuals, you will have the authenticity and resilience to work with internal and external stakeholders to deliver and support the vision of the wider University.

You will be a successful and highly-visible leader with the ability to shape the vision and direction of a new campus in a consultative and collaborative way to ensure its contribution to the success of both the University and India.

With a deep understanding of the global higher education sector and the importance of the student experience, you will have a key role in supporting our global ambitions. As well as a proven ability to lead and manage change throughout an organisation, you will be able to think both analytically and creatively. Crucially, you will identify innovative solutions to complex problems and will have the ability to build relationships at all levels. With exceptional communication, listening, and influencing skills, you will rise to the challenge of shaping the debate around higher education both nationally and internationally by representing the University and Delhi campus to enhance its reputation and contribute to its development activities.

A global and diverse university 

A key objective of the University’s International Strategy is to establish three additional campuses in locations of strategic importance to amplify the impact of globally relevant research, education and enterprise through long-term, capacity-building and equitable partnerships. The physical presence of the University of Southampton in India in addition to Malaysia and the UK will solidify the University’s position as a genuinely multi-nodal global institution and contribute to the strategic goal of being a world top 50 university by 2027–28.

We want to attract people who share our passion for creating an innovative and forward-thinking learning and research environment to our community. In the UK, we are proud of our Stonewall Diversity Champion status, Athena SWAN silver award and Race Equality Charter Bronze Award, so we must ensure the Delhi campus fully reflects the University’s overall vision of building an inclusive world.

What we can offer you  

The post-holder will be employed by the University’s local subsidiary in India on competitive terms and conditions, with benefits commensurate to the profile of the role.

Additional Information

This post is offered on a tenured basis initially for five years, with an extension of up to a maximum of eight years. At the end of this tenure, the postholder will return to a substantive professorial position within the University.

How to apply

Please click on the ‘Apply’ button above

The closing date for receipt of applications is midnight (BST) on 13 October 2024. 

Please submit your CV and cover letter outlining your desire and suitability for the role, and include a one page vision statement detailing your vision for the new campus, explaining how you will ensure academic quality in a geographically distant location.

Important dates 

Following a longlist meeting of the Search Committee, successful candidates will be invited to a telephone interview. Upon completion of all telephone interviews, successful shortlisted candidates will be invited to the UK for two days for an in-person Engagement Day on Tuesday 5 November 2024, followed by an Interview Day on Wednesday 6 November 2024. Candidates will need to be available for both days and this will take place at the Southampton campus in the UK.

*QS World University Rankings, 2025