MINUTES WITH:
DR GHAZWA ALWANI-STARR
Dr Ghazwa Alwani-Starr joined the University of London in 2016 and, earlier this year, she became the University’s Pro Vice-Chancellor (Strategy, Planning and Partnerships) and Director of Property. Prior to joining the University, she was Director of Estates and Campus Services at the University of Roehampton and, before then, she held the roles of Chief Operating Officer and Director of Strategy and Commissioning in the NHS, Head of Design and Engagement at the Prince’s Foundation for Architecture, and Senior Projects Leader at BAA. Describe yourself in 10 words. Ambitious for our students, committed to the University, people-centred, results-driven (12 words, sorry!) Who or what inspires you? Who – Those who plough on regardless for public good; often they don’t even recognise how brilliant they are. What – Leveraging the power of ‘we’ and achieving more through collaboration and partnerships. What has been your proudest achievement? When you are a mother, it is easy to say ‘my kids’. I am of course very proud of them, but I recognise fully that having kids is a blessing and a privilege. My proudest professional moment is being one of six finalists for the Stirling Prize for Architecture for one of my buildings. Proudest personal achievement is running a half marathon for UNICEF in support of their Winter Blankets Appeal for Syrian refugees. What do you like most about working for the University of London? My colleagues! Each member of staff is committed to enabling people from all backgrounds and walks of life, who want to study for a University of London degree to do so anywhere around the world; and we don’t stop there, we help and support students and alumni to do their best in their studies and to realise their ambitions for their lives.
What do you think makes the University so unique? Our academic community: we are a federation of 17 world leading universities. Our home: London is the world’s most vibrant city. Our inclusive history: we were the first university to admit students regardless of their gender, race or religion, the first to admit women to study ‘special examinations’ and later, degree programmes, and in 1865, the first to give students the opportunity to study our degrees anywhere across the globe. Broadly speaking, what does your role as Pro Vice-Chancellor (Strategy, Planning and Partnerships) and Director of Property involve? My main responsibilities are to lead on engaging with colleagues across the University and Member Institutions to develop and deliver our University strategy, to oversee our strategic planning function that provides the evidence base for our strategic actions across the Institution, and to develop partnerships to enable us to be more effective in delivering our mission. I am also responsible for strategic communications and marketing, and our relationships with our Trustees, Member Institutions and our great alumni community.
10 WC1E | london.ac.uk/alumni
