Archbishop of Canterbury to be first Chancellor
15 August 2005
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has been appointed as the first Chancellor of Canterbury Christ Church University.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams
The Archbishop will be officially inaugurated as Chancellor of Canterbury Christ Church University at Canterbury Cathedral in December 2005.
Vice-Chancellor of Canterbury Christ Church University, Professor Michael Wright, said: “I am honoured and delighted that the Archbishop of Canterbury is to become our Chancellor. Canterbury Christ Church was founded by the Church of England and has a very strong relationship with the Archbishop, therefore, the appointment is very appropriate.”
“The University received two visits from the Archbishop last year. In February 2004, he visited Canterbury Campus on the first anniversary of his enthronement and answered questions from students and staff. In October 2004, the Archbishop opened the University’s teaching and learning facility at Chatham, named Rowan Williams Court. We look forward to his future visits.”
The role of Chancellor is an honorary one, with the chief duties devolved to the Vice Chancellor. The Archbishop will be present at some degree congregations and on some other ceremonial occasions.
Notes to Editor
Archbishop of Canterbury – Biography
Rowan Douglas Williams was born in Swansea on 14th June 1950. He was educated at Dynevor Secondary School, then at Christ’s College Cambridge, where he read Theology. After research in Oxford (on Christianity in Russia), he spent two years as a lecturer at Mirfield Theological College near Leeds. From 1977, he spent nine years in academic and parochial work in Cambridge. From 1986-1992, Dr Williams was Professor of Theology at Oxford. He was enthroned as Bishop of Monmouth in 1992 and Archbishop of Wales in 2000.
Dr Williams has written a number of books on the history of theology and spirituality and published collections of articles and sermons – as well as two books of poetry. He has been involved in various commissions on theology and theological education. He was a member of the Church Schools Review Group led by Lord Dearing and chaired the group that produced the report ‘Wales: A Moral Society.’
Dr Williams is a Fellow of the British Academy. His interests include music, fiction and languages.
Since 1981, Dr Williams has been married to Jane Paul, a lecturer in theology, whom he met while living and working in Cambridge. They have a son and a daughter.
Canterbury Christ Church University
Canterbury Christ Church University is the largest centre of higher education in Kent for public services – notably teacher training, policing and health and social care. The University is also a significant provider of programmes in a wide range of academic areas within its Faculties of Arts and Humanities and Business and Sciences.
In the most recent survey of UK higher education institutions, the Higher Education Funding Council (HEFCE) placed Canterbury Christ Church joint fourteenth for student employability and 35th for average graduate earnings out of 162 institutions.
From a small independent College of less than five hundred students – all training to be school teachers – in the 1960s, we have grown to a fully fledged university with 14,000 students and 1,000 staff members with campuses in Canterbury, Tunbridge Wells, Broadstairs and Chatham. Our teaching and learning facility for health, education and policing students at Chatham is part of the Universities At Medway Project in partnership with the Universities of Greenwich and Kent with Mid-Kent College.
As an outward looking University and a Church of England foundation, our mission is to provide excellent academic and professional education underpinned by research, scholarship and creative work and by Christian principles and values.
Contact Details:
Claire Robinson
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