Tuesday 8 February 2022
11:10 - 11:40
Geoff Layer has recently retired as Vice Chancellor of the University of Wolverhampton having worked for over 40 years in post compulsory education
He taught at Sheffield Hallam University from 1983 to 1999 and took on institutional wide roles in developing widening participation strategies, modular degree programmes, establishing a disabled student support service.
He moved to the University of Bradford and became its Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic). Whilst at Bradford he was seconded to HEFCE to develop their approach to widening participation and developed its Aim HigherProgramme.
He became Vice Chancellor of the University of Wolverhampton in 2011 becoming its longest serving Vice Chancellor and he retired in 2021. He has led their approach to being more inclusive, flexible in learning approaches, committed to its region and developing a Multi Academy Trust.
He has researched and developed access and inclusion issues throughout his academic career and has been a Professor of Lifelong Learning since 1995 with numerous research projects and publications and sector leading developments
He is Chair of the HE sector’s EDI Committee , Chair of the SLC Stakeholder Forum. In 2019 the Universities Minister appointed him as Chair of the Disabled Student Commission to promote the interests of disabled students, in 2021 the Minister for Disabilities appointed him as the Disability Ambassador for Universities. He has recently become Chair of the Board at Fircroft Residential Adult Education College.
He was educated in the north east of England, is a passionate Sunderland fan and plays cricket for Sheffield Collegiate Cricket Club