University of Glasgow announces new Senior Vice-Principal & Deputy Vice-Chancellor
Published: 30 March 2026
Professor Iain Gordon has been appointed Senior Vice-Principal & Deputy Vice-Chancellor – Academic at the University of Glasgow.
Professor Iain Gordon has been appointed Senior Vice-Principal & Deputy Vice-Chancellor – Academic at the University of Glasgow.
Professor Gordon is currently Vice-Principal and Head of the College of Science and Engineering at the University of Edinburgh, a role he has held since August 2022. He will take up his new position at the University of Glasgow on 1 August 2026.
Professor Gordon is set to join the University of Glasgow following the retirement of Professor Frank Coton, who has served as Senior Vice-Principal and Deputy Vice-Chancellor – Academic since September 2021.
The Senior Vice-Principal & Deputy Vice-Chancellor - Academic provides senior leadership across the University and acts as a deputy for the Principal when required. The role leads the development and delivery of the University’s Strategic Plan and steers major academic policy and strategic initiatives.
Professor Iain Gordon said: “I am delighted to be joining the University of Glasgow as Senior Vice-Principal. My time at Edinburgh has been a privilege, and I am grateful for all the opportunities I have had to work alongside amazing students and colleagues there.
“I am really looking forward to coming to Glasgow. I’m excited to learn about everything that is going on, and how I can support our ambitions in teaching, research, and innovation and our vibrant community at an important time for universities in the UK and wider still.”
Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Glasgow, Professor Andy Schofield said “I am delighted to welcome Professor Gordon back to the University. He brings an exceptional academic reputation and track record of leadership, and I am confident he will make a significant contribution to our senior team. I look forward to working closely with him as we deliver the University strategy.”
Professor Gordon grew up in Edinburgh and has a background in Mathematics, including studying for his PhD at the University of Glasgow.
In 2000 he worked at the University of Glasgow as a Lecturer in Mathematics, before holding positions in Germany, Belgium and the USA. In 2006 he was appointed Professor of Mathematics at the University of Edinburgh.
Professor Gordon held an EPSRC Leadership Fellowship from 2007 to 2012, and became Head of School of Mathematics at University of Edinburgh in 2014, until 2022.
First published: 30 March 2026