Professor Dave Petley appointed as Vice-Chancellor and President of Nottingham Trent University
Nottingham Trent University is pleased to confirm the appointment of Professor Dave Petley as Vice-Chancellor and President.
By Sarah McLeod | Published on 11 June 2025
Categories: Press office;
The University looks forward to welcoming him in December 2025.
Professor Petley is currently Vice-Chancellor of the University of Hull. He is also Chair of Yorkshire Universities. Prior to this he was Vice-President Research at the University of Sheffield. He has also held senior leadership roles at the University of East Anglia and Durham.
During his tenure, University of Hull received TEF Gold, reached a top 20 National Student Survey position, and achieved its highest ever research income. Professor Petley is a renowned expert in natural and environmental management.
Caroline Wayman, Chair of Nottingham Trent University’s Board of Governors, said:
“We are delighted that Professor Petley will be taking on the mantle of Vice-Chancellor and President in December.
“Professor Petley brings a real breadth of experience and a genuine commitment to improving student outcomes, regional and civic place-shaping and enhancing our success in research and innovation. The vision Professor Petley put forward for NTU’s future was both compelling and exciting, we are very much looking forward to welcoming him to the team.”
Professor Petley said:
“The role of Vice-Chancellor and President of NTU is an opportunity like no other in sector. The University is an extraordinary success story with a powerful reputation, strong financial position and an excellent student experience.
“I am excited to meet the team, to meet my civic partners and to start to learn about how I can support and lead NTU through its next chapter.”
Notes for Editors
Press enquiries please contact Sarah McLeod, Corporate Communications Manager, on telephone +44 (0)115 848 8735, or via email.
About Nottingham Trent University
Nottingham Trent University (NTU) has been named UK ‘University of the Year’ five times in six years, (Times Higher Education Awards 2017, The Guardian University Awards 2019, The Times and Sunday Times 2018 and 2023, Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2023) and is consistently one of the top performing modern universities in the UK.
It is the 3rd best modern university in the UK (The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2023). Students have voted NTU 1st in the UK for student employability (Uni Compare 2025)
NTU is the 5th largest UK institution by student numbers, with over 40,000 students and more than 4,400 staff located across six campuses. It has an international student population of almost 7,000 and an NTU community representing over 160 countries.
NTU owns two Queen’s Anniversary Prizes for outstanding achievements in research (2015, 2021). The first recognises NTU’s research on the safety and security of global citizens. The second was awarded for research in science, engineering, arts and humanities to investigate and restore cultural objects, buildings and heritage. The Research Excellence Framework (2021) classed 83% of NTU’s research activity as either world-leading or internationally excellent.
NTU was awarded GOLD in the national 2023 Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) assessment, as it was in 2019.
NTU is a top 10 for sport (British Universities and Colleges Sport league table 2023).
NTU is the most environmentally sustainable university in the UK and second in the world (UI Green Metric University World Rankings, 2023).