The University Council is the principal decision-making body in the University. The composition of the University Council is as follows:
Chair of Council
Vice Chair of Council
External Member
External Member
External Member
External Member
External Member
External Member
External Member
Sally Baines
Vice-Chancellor of the University of Huddersfield
Professor Sarah Bastow
Director of Digital Information and responsible for the University’s Computing and Library Services
President, Students’ Union
Sally Crosland
Audit and Risk Committee
Audit and Risk Committee
University Secretary
Professor Bob Cryan CBE was appointed to his first Professorial Chair at the age of 30 and at the time he was the youngest Professor of Engineering in the UK. He then went on to become the youngest Vice-Chancellor in the UK when he took up his post at his hometown University, the University of Huddersfield, in January 2007, a University that now has over 22,000 students from over 120 countries. Bob holds two first class honours degrees (Engineering, Mathematics), an MBA and two doctorates (PhD, DSc) and he is a Chartered Engineer, a Fellow of the Institution of Engineering Technology and a Fellow of the
Higher Education Academy. Bob is a Deputy Lieutenant for West Yorkshire and in 2013 he was awarded The Guardian Inspiring Leader Award. In 2014 he was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the Queen's Birthday Honours and made a Companion of the Chartered Management Institute. In 2015 he received The Daily Telegraph Educate North Inspiring Leader Award and was included in the group of 50 World leading Engineers appointed as Fellows of the Royal Academy of Engineering. He was president of the Institute of Engineering and Technology (IET) in 2022-23
Bob is proud to be a graduate of the University and to have had first-hand experience of the life-changing potential and the tremendous support that Huddersfield offers its students.
After graduating with a first class honours in engineering from Huddersfield, Bob went on to complete a British Telecom-sponsored part-time PhD programme, whilst working as a lecturer at Huddersfield.
In 1992 he was appointed Director of the Centre for Communications Systems Research at Manchester Metropolitan University. He was appointed to a Personal Chair, and Head of the Department of Electrical, Electronic Engineering & Physics at Northumbria University in 1994.
In 1996 he was appointed Head of the School of Engineering at Northumbria University. He moved to the University of Wales, Swansea in 1999 to be Chair of Electrical & Electronic Engineering. He also held the Siemens Chair of Communications and the post of Dean of the Faculty of Engineering.
In 2002 he returned to Northumbria University as Pro Vice-Chancellor, becoming Deputy Vice-Chancellor in 2005, with responsibilities including both teaching and research.
Bob believes that teaching should be underpinned by research and he is an active researcher who has co-authored over 200 publications.
Bob is tremendously proud of the University and has ambitious plans for it, particularly around research, postgraduate provision and internationalisation. With the support of his senior team, Bob has built the University’s future strategy around being an inspiring, innovative University of international renown.
Bob is delighted that the hard work of the University’s staff and students is being recognised through many awards including: Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF 2023) Gold, Ofsted Outstanding for apprenticeship provision in 2022, the Higher Education Academy’s first ever Global Teaching Excellence award in 2017, a Queen's Anniversary Prize (2015, 2019 & 2021); The Daily Telegraph Educate North New University of the Year 2015/16; the Times Higher University of the Year 2013/14; the Queen’s Award for Enterprise (International Trade) 2013 and 2022; and the Times Higher Entrepreneurial University of the Year 2012/13.
Alison joined the University in January 2020 and has worked in professional higher education administration, leadership and management for over 25 years. Alison leads the University’s governance, legal and health and safety service provision and, as well as managing those
Prior to joining the University, Alison worked at Oxford Brookes University, the University of Bradford and Leeds Beckett University, leading on governance, legal services, strategic and operational planning and organisational programme management and change.
Alison is the former Chair of the Higher Education Strategic Planners Association (HESPA) and has worked on a number of sector-wide projects and initiatives. She holds a BA (Hons) in Literature and Philosophy and a Masters in Strategic Decision Making, specialising in research
Mr Thornton currently advises businesses in Yorkshire and is Chairman of a small pharmaceutical development company. He is also a Trustee of several charities. Previously he has been Chairman of Thornton & Ross, a Healthcare Manufacturing Group, and was Vice-President of Euralliance Pharma. He was appointed to the University Council in July 2006 and was Chair of the Audit Committee from August 2012 to May 2018. Mr Thornton became Vice-Chair of Council in August 2018 and subsequently was appointed as Chair of Council with effect from August 2019.
Baroness Pinnock was elected as a Councillor for the Cleckheaton ward in 1987 and has served the Cleckheaton community as its Councillor ever since. She served as Leader of Kirklees Council from 2000 to 2006 and was also the leader of the Kirklees Liberal Democrat Councillors from 1991 to 2014. Baroness Pinnock was appointed to the University Council with effect from August 2016 and elected Vice-Chair of Council in August 2019.
A leading figure in the construction industry, Bernard Ainsworth is regarded as the 'ultimate' project manager and has been responsible for leading teams in the construction of many famous buildings, including the iconic London Shard and the Millennium Dome, and it was for this latter project that he was awarded his OBE. He now carries a number of Non-Executive Director roles on major construction project. Mr Ainsworth was appointed to the University’s Estates Development Committee in August 2017 and became a member of University Council with effect from August 2019.
Mr Cox is a retired Chartered Accountant and former Finance Director of AQA Education. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and has held a number of Finance Director roles across a range of industries. Mr Cox is also a governor and
Mark Fisher is Chief Executive of NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care, responsible for the NHS in Greater Manchester
Mark joined the Civil Service as a fast stream trainee in 1983. He has worked as HR Director of the (then) Department for Social Security, and as a Board Director of Jobcentre Plus. . From 2014 to 2017 he was Director of the Office for Civil Society and Innovation at the Cabinet
In January 2010, he received a CBE. He was appointed to the University Council in March 2006 and became Chair of the Estates Development Committee (now the Estates and Finance Committee) in August 2018.
Professor Pollock-Hulf is currently working with WISE (Women into Science and Engineering) and the Bloodhound Project to promote STEM to the next generation of engineers. She has been an active volunteer member of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers for over 30 years and was the 127th President of the Institute in 2012. In June 2014, Professor Pollock-Hulf was awarded an OBE for services to mechanical engineering. She was appointed to the University Council in March 2015.
Ajaz Ahmed is an entrepreneur who founded Freeserve, the UK's first Billion-Pound internet company. His eureka moment for Freeserve came when nobody in PC World could tell him how to get onto the internet.
Ajaz is included in the 'Yorkshire Business Power 100.' He writes a column for the trade publication 'Retail Week' and is the Chairman of the digital agency, Quba. The Queen awarded him a 'British Empire Medal'
Ajaz was appointed to the University Council on 1st August 2021.
Clare Morrow is the Chair of the Board at the Bettys and Taylors Group in Harrogate, which makes Yorkshire Tea, Taylors of Harrogate tea and coffee, and has five iconic cafe tea rooms across Yorkshire.
She is the Chair of Hollybank Trust, a charity based in Mirfield, which provides residential care and education for children and adults with multiple and profound learning disabilities.
Clare is also Chair of the Yorkshire and North East Film Archive, a small charity which preserves and makes available to the public moving images captured by film makers across the two regions over the past century.
Clare had a 25 year career as a journalist, executive producer and senior manager, working in newspapers, radio and television for both the BBC and ITV.
Previous non-executive roles include the Chair of Welcome to Yorkshire, a director of the Rugby Football League and a director of the Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust. She was also a Trustee at both the Leeds Playhouse and Sheffield Theatres.
Clare was appointed to the University Council in August 2022.
Sally is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and worked in human resources and organisational development roles within the NHS for over 30 years. Sally is an executive coach for senior leaders in the NHS and also works independently to provide a range of transformation, human resource and leadership development interventions primarily in the NHS.
She has been a trustee of Mental Health Matters, a national mental health charity providing a range of psychological and social support services to those with mental health conditions for 5 years and has been the Chair of MHM since October 2021.
Sally was appointed to the University Council in July 2023.
Mr Davies is a portfolio non-executive director (NED) of several organisations, primarily in West Yorkshire. He has recently become a Freeman of the City of London and a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Woolmen. His director roles are at Immersify Education (Chair);
Mr Davies has extensive experience of leading IT functions and change programmes having held the roles of Chief Information Officer, IT Director, and Chairman across a range of business sectors including higher education and research, retail, technology, leisure and health
Sarah Bastow is Professor of Early Modern History and Associate Dean for Teaching and Learning in the School of Arts and Humanities. Prior to her current role, she was Head of History for seven years (2013-2020) and acting Head of Department for History, English, Language and Music (2020-21). Professor Bastow’s research concentrates on the religious history of England and Europe in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. In particular she has produced work looking at the activities of both Catholics and Protestants in this era with a focus on religion in the north of England. This reflects her interest in religious conflict, but also in the concept of religious toleration in the early modern era.
Mr Pilicudale is Director of Digital Information and responsible for the University’s Computing and Library Services. Mr Pilicudale was appointed to the University’s Council Committee in November 2020.
Mr Khan is the current President of the University of Huddersfield's Students' Union and was appointed to University Council in July 2023. Prior to becoming President, Taha was the Students’ Union’s Equalities Officer. Taha aims to improve student life not only on campus, but also in the broader community. Before becoming part of the Students’ Union, Taha pursued a degree in Marketing at the University.
Sally is a current PhD researcher in Psychology, focusing on female perpetrators of violent crime. After completing her BSc, Sally spent a number of years working in retail management, before returning to the University to complete the MSc in Investigative Psychology. Combining her previous experience with her doctoral research has allowed Sally to undertake project work, run events and develop opportunities for postgraduates. Sally draws on her experience, and that of her fellow members of the postgraduate researcher (PGR) community, to inform her role as the PGR representative on the University Council. Sally was appointed to the University Council in November 2023.
Paul Leigh is a Chartered Accountant and Chief Financial Officer for a multi academy trust. He qualified in public practice and has held a number of senior roles in the education sector. He is passionate about how the role of finance can support leaders in delivering high quality
Mr Paul Leigh was appointed to Audit and Risk Committee in August 2022.
Mr Kelly is a Partner at Schofield Sweeny Solicitors in Huddersfield, having formerly worked for Armitage Sykes Solicitors and Eversheds LLP. He is also a qualified chartered accountant and previous roles include Finance Director and Deputy Group Managing Director for Kunick Leisure and European Finance Director for Caudwell Communications, based in Dusseldorf. Mr Kelly was appointed to the Audit and Risk Committee with effect from August 2016.