Professor Phil Taylor, the Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research and Enterprise, is stepping down at the end of July after four years at Bristol to take up a new position as Vice-Chancellor and President at the University of Bath.
An outstanding Pro Vice-Chancellor, he has worked tirelessly to support research programmes and ensure their recovery after the pandemic. He has helped guide and deliver an impressive programme of work including the development of our Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus and the associated research hubs for the Bristol Digital Futures Institute and MyWorld. He was also instrumental in the establishment of Bristol Innovations. These programmes are already transforming the University’s relationship with businesses and building an innovation district that will benefit academic colleagues, students and the wider region.
One of the most exciting aspects of his time with us has been his leadership to help secure the Isambard-AI supercomputer at Bristol. He will continue to lead on this important project in the coming months. Phil has also shown his commitment to important issues for the University such as addressing the barriers to black academia. The work he has started on this will continue through the £10M Reparative Futures programme that was announced in November.
Phil will take up his new post in August 2024 and I know he will be an outstanding leader for Bath. I am very glad he is not going far, however, and I look forward to continuing to work closely with him, deepening the relationship between our universities and as part of the GW4 regional partnership. I look forward to developing further opportunities for collaborative success, working together to deliver great things for our two cities and the South-West, as well as for the UK and internationally.
Until then, Phil will continue to lead our important research and enterprise work as we begin the search for his successor in the coming months. The transition to his new role will commence in May, prior to his departure at the end of July.
I would like to thank Phil personally for the considerable contribution he has made to our University during his time here and congratulate him on his exciting new appointment.
You can find out more about this appointment on the University of Bath’s website.