Julia Gray, Principal and Chief Executive at City of Bristol College, has been appointed as a visiting professor at UWE Bristol, aiming to strengthen connections between further and higher education.
Recognised for her leadership in further education, skills, and social justice, Gray brings extensive experience in systems leadership, organisational transformation, and regional partnership development. Her work encompasses education, workforce development, economic growth, and civic collaboration, including her role in establishing Colleges West and supporting regional skills priorities.
In her new role at UWE Bristol, Gray will focus on opportunities that enhance the links between further and higher education, contribute to applied research and knowledge exchange, and advance regional approaches to skills, inclusion, and economic development. Her expertise is particularly pertinent to current national discussions on post-16 reform, place-based public service delivery, systems leadership, and lifelong learning.
Working with colleagues across the university, including staff in The Brunel Centre and the Research and External Engagement team, Gray will help foster stronger connections between policy, practice, and regional delivery. This collaboration aims to ensure educational institutions, employers, civic partners, and government can work together to address shared challenges and opportunities.
Julia is one of the most respected leaders in further education and skills development in our region. What makes her contribution particularly valuable is her ability to work across organisational boundaries and bring people together around a common purpose.
As the challenges facing education, skills and economic growth become increasingly interconnected, Julia brings exactly the kind of systems leadership perspective that universities need.
Julia’s experience across Colleges West, regional partnerships and workforce development will further strengthen UWE Bristol's ability to work collaboratively with colleges, employers, communities and government to improve opportunity, social mobility and prosperity across our region.
We are delighted to be working with Julia as part of our shared commitment to creating a connected and inclusive education and skills ecosystem for the West of England.
I am delighted to continue working with UWE Bristol at a time when collaboration across education, business, government and communities has never been more important.
The opportunities and challenges facing students of all ages do not sit within a single organisation. By working together across further and higher education, we can create stronger pathways, improve outcomes and ensure that education plays a central role in supporting inclusive growth and social justice across our region.
Based on information from the official source:
University of the West of England (20/10/2026)
