Edge Hill vice-chancellor to step down after more than three decades

Edge Hill University's Dr John Cater, currently the longest serving vice-chancellor in the country, has announced that he will retire in January.

Dr Cater has led the university, which first opened in 1885, for more than 31 years, overseeing an era of major transformation and seeing it advance further and faster in the national league tables than any other UK university.

Under his leadership, the university has invested more than £350m in the physical infrastructure and was awarded a Gold rating for Student Experience in the most recent Teaching Excellence Framework exercise.

Edge Hill was granted approval in 2018 for one of just three new free-standing medical schools adding to its already impressive range of programmes across the arts, sciences, humanities, education and healthcare. In 2024 the University expanded its discipline base further launching new programmes in chemistry, physics and mathematics.

It was the first English higher education provider to be awarded Ofsted outstanding for all age phases of its Teaching Training Provision under the new inspection framework.

And the university has more than doubled the number of research staff and significantly grown its community of renowned professors during John’s period in office.

This has led to more than half of Edge Hill’s research outputs being classed as ‘world leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’ in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework.

Clive Elliott, pro-chancellor and chair of the board of governors, said: "John’s remarkable leadership has guided the institution through some of the most challenging times the sector has experienced, always with an approach which reflects the values of the university.

“His tenure has been marked by unwavering commitment and outstanding leadership, and he leaves the University in an incredibly strong and enviable position.”

John said: “It has been an immense privilege to lead Edge Hill University for over thirty years. This is a university which has been transformed and I want to thank my colleagues, the staff and students of the University, who have worked together to create the successful values-driven Institution we have become.

“I am extremely proud of the experience we deliver for our students and of the contribution that the University and our community make to the life of the region and beyond.”

The process to appoint a new vice-chancellor for the university will now commence and the intention is that an appointment will be made in a timely way which will enable a smooth transition.