Professor Kevin Hetherington joined Staffordshire University as Deputy Vice Chancellor in March 2022, having worked in higher education for 30 years as an academic, researcher and senior leader.
He previously worked at The Open University as Pro Vice Chancellor for Research, Enterprise and Scholarship.
Professor Hetherington has specific responsibility for research, the development of the academic strategy and providing strategic leadership on internationalisation and global connectivity.
Having studied for his PhD at Lancaster University, Professor Hetherington secured his first teaching role as Sociology Lecturer at Keele University. He then moved to lecture at Brunel University before moving to Lancaster University where he was appointed Professor of Cultural Sociology.
His next appointment was to The Open University as Professor of Geography. After serving as Dean and Director of Studies there, he took up the role of Pro Vice-Chancellor in 2015.
A regional council member for the Confederation of British Industry since 2018, Professor Hetherington was also a Universities UK delegate on Brexit.
Professor Hetherington has a strong research profile on urban and cultural issues, including on museums and heritage, and has authored four books and numerous peer reviewed journal articles. Professor Hetherington is also a Governor of Stoke on Trent College.