Professor Claire Ozanne

Professor Claire Ozanne is the academic lead and Chief Executive of Canterbury Christ Church University. She joined the University in April 2026 and is an experienced leader in higher education, with a strong track record in senior academic and executive roles.

Claire previously served as Vice-Chancellor and Rector of Liverpool Hope University, where she led an extensive programme of change and modernisation. Her leadership focused on enhancing the student experience and strengthening the University’s civic role in the region.

Prior to this, Claire was Deputy Director and Provost at SOAS University of London, a role she took up in September 2020. Before joining SOAS, she held several senior positions at the University of Roehampton, including Head of Biological & Health Sciences, Assistant Dean (Learning & Teaching), and Vice Provost (Academic Partnerships and International) from 2010 to 2020. Between 2017 and 2019, Claire served as Principal of Heythrop College, University of London.

Claire was educated at the University of Oxford, where she gained a BA and later a DPhil in Agriculture and Forest Sciences, which was awarded in 1991. Her research focuses on insects in habitats affected by human activity, particularly in temperate and tropical forests.