The University of Liverpool has announced that Professor Barry Godfrey will be appointed as Vice-President for Academic Affairs at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University from August 2017.
Professor Godfrey will take on the role as a three-year secondment, succeeding the current Vice-President for Academic Affairs, Professor Andre Brown, who will be returning to Liverpool.
On his experiences at XJTLU, Professor Brown said: “This has been an outstanding opportunity to be part of the unique venture that is XJTLU. We are not simply the largest joint-venture university in China, we have also contributed significantly to the growth and development of international higher education in China. To be part of managing this ground-breaking growth and development has been a privilege.”
Professor Godfrey will sit on the Senior Management Team at XJTLU and be responsible for academic strategy, as well as all aspects of liaison with the University of Liverpool, including academic standards and quality assurance, academic strategy, and academic staff recruitment and development.
Reacting to his appointment, Professor Godfrey said: “I’m delighted to be joining such an energetic and successful venture, and look forward to contributing to the University’s ambition to become a research-led international university, recognised internationally for its unique learning and teaching and research environment.”
Professor Youmin Xi, Executive President at XJTLU, added: "Vice-President of Academic Affairs is a senior leadership role with responsibility for academic strategy as well as daily operations at XJTLU. I would like to thank Professor Andre Brown for his great contribution to XJTLU since July 2014, and to wish him well as he returns to Liverpool in August.
"Additionally, I would like to welcome Professor Barry Godfrey to the XJTLU Senior Management Team as it leads the University on an new exciting journey, after a first 10 years of wonderful development.”