University of Hertfordshire bids farewell to Vice-Chancellor after 14 years

Since joining the University in 2011, Professor McKellar has overseen a period of extraordinary growth and transformation. Under his leadership, Hertfordshire has grown to nearly 35,000 students, securing financial stability in a challenging climate. But his impact goes far beyond the numbers.

Driven by a personal passion for access and inclusion, Professor McKellar has championed opportunity through education. Having once described himself as “not particularly academic” at school, he has become one of the UK’s most respected academic leaders – and shaped a university where students from all backgrounds can thrive. Today, 68% of Hertfordshire students come from widening access backgrounds, and over a third are the first in their family to attend university.

He has also been a trailblazer in international higher education, challenging sector norms and building one of the UK’s most successful international strategies. Thanks to his vision, the University now welcomes more than 19,000 international students each year, generating £140 million in income and forging partnerships with 135 study abroad institutions and 19 transnational education partners, including a thriving branch campus in Egypt. This work was recognised with the prestigious King’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade – the only UK university to receive this honour in 2024.

Professor McKellar’s tenure has also been defined by bold innovation and real-world impact. In 2024, the University opened Spectra, home to its £100 million School of Physics, Engineering and Computer Science and the region’s most significant science and innovation hub for STEM businesses. This cutting-edge facility helped secure the University’s largest-ever research grant – £13.5 million from Research England’s E3 Fund – and led to the launch of the Herts-led Biodetection Technologies Hub, the UK’s leading centre for biodetection research addressing major global challenges.

Research at Hertfordshire has flourished under his leadership. From astrophysics and climate science to healthcare, robotics, and AI, the University has emerged as a national and global leader. Its academics have advised government, shaped policy, and earned major accolades, while spinouts such as Stevenage-based ImmuONE – co-founded by a Herts PhD graduate and professor – have secured millions in investment to scale pioneering technologies.

Professor McKellar has also driven initiatives to address critical skills shortages. The University has launched its bid to open Hertfordshire’s first Medical School in 2026 and will be launching Propeller Stage One, a commercial film studio designed to tackle skills gaps in the creative industries and provide students with real on-set experience, this October 2025. Today, Hertfordshire graduates more than 11,000 students into the workforce each year – one in three entering healthcare and one in five entering STEM roles.

These advances have been matched by outstanding teaching and student experience. In the latest National Student Survey (NSS) published last month, the University was ranked in the top 25% of UK universities for student satisfaction, and in the most recent Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey (PTES), second nationally for postgraduate experience, with a 93% satisfaction rate. Herts has also been recognised for equity and inclusion, achieving a Silver Athena Swan award, named a Top 100 Stonewall Employer, and ranked among the UK’s highest for female professors.

Reflecting on his time at Hertfordshire, Professor McKellar said: 

“It has been an enormous privilege to serve as Vice-Chancellor of this extraordinary university. I’m exceptionally proud of all we’ve achieved together over the past 14 years – from growing our student community and global reach, to transforming our research standing and real-world impact. None of it would have been possible without the dedication and collaboration of our incredible staff. My ‘Go Herts!’ cheer has always been a mark of pride – and that pride will stay with me long into retirement.”

David Sproul, Chair of the Board of Governors at the University of Hertfordshire, said:

“As Professor McKellar steps down, the University stands stronger than ever: a financially resilient, globally connected institution ranked in the top 25% of UK universities for research impact and recognised as a leader in social mobility. Professor McKellar’s legacy is not just in buildings, rankings, or accolades – but in the lives changed, opportunities created, and belief instilled in thousands that they, too, can succeed. We will miss him immensely and wish him all the happiness in retirement.”

To mark his retirement year, Professor McKellar has published new book A Compelling Case for Universities: Gaudeamus Igitur – So Let Us Rejoice. Drawing on over 40 years in academia, research and leadership, the book explores how universities serve as engines of innovation, social mobility, and global collaboration, with Professor McKellar arguing that universities are not just educational institutions, but vital contributors to national growth, international diplomacy, and societal wellbeing.

A Compelling Case for Universities: Gaudeamus Igitur – So Let Us Rejoice is now available for purchase now via the UH Press website and Amazon UK.