Our Patron

Professor Graham Henderson – Vice Chancellor of Teesside University (2003 – 2015)

Professor Graham Henderson became Vice Chancellor of Teesside University on 1 April 2003, prior to that (from February 1999), he was Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic and Development) at Teesside with responsibility for the strategic development of the University’s academic portfolio. This included learning and teaching, quality and standards, library and information systems, lifelong learning, the development of collaborative partnerships and the personnel and staff development work of the University.

Professor Henderson was awarded the CBE in 2011 New Years Honours List for outstanding services to higher education, both for the contribution he has made within his own institution and to higher education nationally. He was appointed as a Deputy Lieutenant of North Yorkshire in 2012.

He is a fellow of the Royal Statistical Society (FRSS), a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA) and a Companion of the Chartered Management Institute (CCMI).

Professor Henderson started his academic career in 1975 at Nene College (now the University of Northampton). He then spent 17 years in Newcastle Business School at Northumbria University (including eight years as Deputy/Assistant Director of the School) before becoming director of the Business School at the University of Sunderland.

During his period as Vice Chancellor, Teesside has gone through a process of rapid growth and development, including Teesside becoming the first modern University to win the Times Higher Education University of the Year Award in 2009/10. Turnover has doubled in six years and student numbers have risen from c.12000 when he took up post as Vice Chancellor to 30,000 in 2011.

In addition to his role as Board member of a number of University companies, Graham is a member of the Board of Universities UK, the Council for Industry in Higher Education and the Leadership Board of Tees Valley Unlimited. He is a Council member of the North East Chamber of Commerce (NECC), Chair of the Common Purpose Tees Advisory Group and Chair of the Leadership Foundation for HE Membership Advisory Group. He is also a member of the HEFCE Strategic Advisory Committee on Leadership, Governance and Management and a member of both the UUK’s Employability, Business and Industry Policy Network and Student Quality and Participation Policy Network.

Graham is also a Trustee of the Captain Cook Birthplace Trust.