University of London appoints Professor Claire Gorrara as Dean of the School of Advanced Study

Professor Claire Gorrara

Professor Gorrara joins from Cardiff University, where she has served as Dean of Research and Innovation for the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences since 2021, supporting the research ambitions of 10 academic schools across the full range of humanities disciplines.

Professor Gorrara brings with her extensive experience in research leadership and advocacy for the humanities. She is the co-founder of the Wales Arts and Humanities Alliance and is a newly appointed member of the Arts and Humanities Research Council’s (AHRC) Advisory Board, where she advocates for the value of arts and humanities research and the benefits it can deliver for people and place. 

A champion of widening participation in higher education, Professor Gorrara is a regular advocate for multilingualism and language learning, working with policymakers, educational institutions and learned societies across the UK and internationally, including the British Academy. She founded the MFL Mentoring project in Wales. The project, which trains university student mentors to inspire language learning among secondary school learners, was shortlisted for the Times Higher Education Award for Widening Participation in 2021.

In recognition of her contributions to French language, culture and multilingualism, Professor Gorrara was awarded the prestigious Chevalier dans l'Ordre National du Mérite by the French Government in 2023.

Professor David Latchman, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of London, said: "Professor Gorrara’s appointment is an exciting new chapter for the School of Advanced Study and our ongoing commitment to advancing humanities research at the highest level. Her exceptional track record in research leadership, combined with her passion for demonstrating the real-world impact of humanities scholarship, makes her ideally suited to lead SAS as we continue to strengthen our role as a national centre of excellence for the humanities.”

Professor Claire Gorrara said: "I am thrilled to be joining the University of London. I look forward to developing further the work of the University, which is a sector-leading champion for the arts and humanities. As a career-long advocate for the transformative power of arts and humanities, I am excited to work with colleagues and connected communities in the outstanding institutes for humanities research within the School of Advanced Study.”

Professor Christopher Smith, Executive Chair of the AHRC, said: “The School of Advanced Study offers critical resources to the national capability for arts and humanities research through its libraries, its public engagement activity, and its world-class centres and institutes. AHRC looks forward to working with Professor Gorrara to develop the School’s role as an international centre of excellence and a key infrastructure and resource for our disciplines.”

Professor Colette Fagan FAcSS, Research England Council member and Vice-President of Research at the University of Manchester, said: “As the recently appointed chair of the Research England Advisory Group for the School of Advanced Study I am delighted to welcome Professor Claire Gorrara's appointment. I look forward to working with Claire and her team.”

The School of Advanced Study celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2024. It brings together eight internationally renowned institutes for humanities research and receives special funding from Research England for its national role in promoting and facilitating humanities research. Through its constituent institutes, SAS provides advocacy for humanities disciplines, contributes to policymaking, delivers research training and fellowships, maintains world-class library and digital resources and leads extensive public engagement and publishing programmes. 

In her role as Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research and Public Engagement) and Dean of the School of Advanced Study, Professor Gorrara will also oversee the University of London’s Senate House Library, one of the UK's largest academic libraries for arts, humanities and social sciences, and the University of London in Paris, with its interdisciplinary programmes in French Studies and International Politics.