Victoria University of Wellington (VUW) has named provost Bryony James as its next vice-chancellor, taking over from departing boss Nic Smith.

James takes the helm on 12 June, when Smith leaves to become vice-chancellor of the University of Auckland. She said she looked forward to leading a comprehensive university “right here among the halls of government”.

“I’m going to be taking up this role at a time of change in the tertiary sector,” she said. “I want to lead the university community forward with a strategy that is deliberately connected into Wellington, into the country and the world.”

Cornish by birth, James has resided in New Zealand since starting a PhD in materials engineering – focusing on aluminium smelting – at Auckland in 1993. She stayed on as a “regular jobbing academic”, teaching first-year materials science to 1,000 undergraduates a year, according to her . “After 27 years there it is safe to say I have contributed some tiny fraction of knowledge to a fair proportion of NZ’s engineers.

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“Watching students grow into their knowledge, and supporting the excitement of learning, just puts pennies in my shoes; and research is the application of hard work, intelligence and common sense to an issue that fires the mind and feeds the soul. I count it a privilege to have spent almost my whole career working in the university sector.”

James’ research has taken her from the surface engineering of metals, plastics and ceramics to the materials characterisation of food and the properties that dictate how it feels when it is chewed. She held senior administrative roles at Auckland and the University of Waikato before moving to VUW in 2023.

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Chancellor Alan Judge said James’ appointment had followed an extensive global search. “Her initiative, clarity of thinking, and strong connections built on trust, which are evident throughout the university and into the capital city beyond, led us to choose Professor James from a strong set of candidates. 

“The council is confident that she has the energy, drive and values we need to lead our staff, students and community into the coming years.”

john.ross@timeshighereducation.com