“Don’t take yourself too seriously” says CEO and Vice Chancellor, Craig Mahoney
Top Tip Details
Professor Craig Mahoney BEd, MA, PhD, TTC, CPsychol, AFBPsS, FBASES, FRSA, FIoD
Professor Craig Mahoney is an academic with over 30 years’ experience in UK higher education. A chartered psychologist and an Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society, Professor Mahoney has been an internationally recognised performance psychologist for over three decades. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, a Fellow of the British Association of Sport & Exercise Sciences, an Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society and a Fellow of the Institute of Directors. He has been a CEO in three roles over the past 15 years including nearly nine years as Principal and Vice-Chancellor at the University of the West of Scotland, which was named Scottish University of the Year in 2022. He was previously CEO at the Higher Education Academy, a UK national agency overseeing the enhancement of learning and teaching in universities.
A dynamic public advocate of higher education, Craig is a research active academic with a strong interest in performance enhancement, differentiated student-centred pedagogy, research informed teaching, e-learning; technology to support teaching, widespread use of open educational resources, teaching excellence and global engagement. He is a passionate supporter of equality, diversity and inclusion and has developed and supported many programmes, initiatives and change plans to eradicate discrimination and enable fairness for all.
Professor Mahoney has a wide range of experience at Board level with previous Board positions including Deputy Chair of North Tyne NHS Trust, Board member of Tyne Met FE Corporation Board, UK Quality Assurance Agency, Glasgow City of Sciences, Leadership Foundation for Higher Education, Converge Challenge, a Trustee on the Carnegie Trust for Universities of Scotland, Convener of Universities Scotland Efficiency & Climate Emergency Committee and still active as a Board member of SportScotland and Chair of the Board for British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS). When not working in higher education or advocating for EDI, Professor Mahoney divides his time between his family, his passion for sport and for supporting the development of others. Professor Mahoney’s top leadership tip is to never forget where you came from and ensure you remain grounded. No one is irreplaceable so don’t take yourself too seriously and think that your impact will last forever. Build sustainable influence not short-term change.