Inverness College UHI announces new principal
A NEW principal and chief executive officer has been appointed by Inverness College UHI.
Professor Christopher O’Neil, who is currently Head of Gray’s School of Art at Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen, will replace Diane Rawlinson in the next academic year.
Inverness College UHI, based at Inverness Campus, is home to more than 6500 students with around 200 courses on offer across nearly 30 subject areas.
For the full story, see today's Inverness Courier.
Professor Christopher O’Neil biography
Professor O'Neil was brought up in Wales and studied fine art, aesthetics and philosophy at the University of Wales Institute, Cardiff, the University of the Arts, London and the Royal College of Art.
He began teaching art history, English and maths in adult and further education in South Thames College, Wandsworth and Belmarsh prisons before becoming a Head of Department at the University of the Creative Arts.
He moved to the USA as a Professor of Design and Medias in Savannah College of Art and Design where he led a learning communities project and reported to the Southern Colleges Federation on assessment methodologies and quality compliance.
Professor O'Neil returned to Wales as the Head of Cardiff School of Art and Design at UWIC and worked with colleagues across Wales to create a Pan Wales Federation of incubators, spin-outs, 3*/4* research clusters and FE/HE partnerships ahead of Welsh university mergers.
In working with the Welsh Assembly Government, Professor O'Neil was made an Executive Council Member of the Arts Council of Wales and worked closely with the Gordon Brown Creative Industry Review and a wide range of industrial partners to build cultures, the economy and identity. He was made Commissioner for the Wales Pavilion at the Venice Biennale.
He moved to Thames Valley University as a PVC Academic as a part of a turn-around group. In rationalising and stabilising the University; Reading FE College and the Berkshire Strategic Health Authority’s teaching provision were merged into the University. He was responsible for curriculum development, Registry, process merger, compliance and quality assurance in one of the first large scale post 16 to post-Doctoral tertiary institutions.
As an Executive Dean at BIAD, Birmingham City University, Professor O'Neil built industrial links and applied research, partnerships and articulations with FE and sponsored the Birmingham Ormiston Academy school. His integrated approach led to him becoming an advisor to Lord Heseltine on the creation of LEPs and industrial, governmental and academic partnerships.
He improved BIAD’s UK ranking to 8 and he grew the home and international student numbers from 4000 to 6000 with articulation, franchised and 2+2 partnerships in India, China, Thailand and Brazil. BIAD developed a reputation for an applied research informed curriculum, work based learning and employability
Professor O'Neil is now based in Scotland at RGU and is the Head of Gray’s School of Art. He has worked closely with his colleagues to stabilise and develop the School. He has instigated a Student Partnership Scheme recognised by Student Partnership in Quality, Scotland as an exemplar and, with Transition Extreme was awarded a Developing Young Workforce Gold Standard. He has a wide range of cross University leadership responsibilities and works closely with the City and Shire Councils to deliver access, SME support and employability.
He is also a member of the RNLI International Development Board.
