Dianne Willcocks, York St John University
Professor Dianne Willcocks is Vice Chancellor at York St John University. An advocate and practitioner for socially inclusive higher education, Professor Willcocks’ major commitment is to promote educational endeavour and opportunity that engage with the needs of modern communities for social, cultural and economic wellbeing. She was previously Assistant Principal at Sheffield Hallam University and Director of Research at the University of North London. Professor Willcocks engages and publishes in the contemporary debate around new learners and new learning styles in higher education and the distinctive role and contribution of church colleges and universities.
A social scientist with a multidisciplinary practice, Professor Willcocks’ research is in the field of old-age. She also engages in public policy and practice debates around social inclusion.
Professor Willcocks is a governor/trustee of the Aim Higher National Partnership Board; the Board of Yorkshire’s first Lifelong Learning Network, Higher York; and serves on the York Diocesan Board of Education. She was recently a member of the HEFCE Board and presently serves on its Widening Access & Participation Strategy Committee. She Chairs the Action on Access Forum. She is a trustee of CIHE, the Council for Industry and Higher Education, and the Higher Education Academy. In the City of York, Professor Willcocks is currently on the Board of Yorkshire Film Archive and the York Cultural Partnership. She Chairs the York Theatre Royal Trust and the Science City York Creative-Digital Steering Group.