Ed Craig takes the helm at ground-breaking University Centre

Staffordshire University has welcomed Ed Craig to his new role as Executive Dean of the Centre of Business, Innovation and Enterprise.

Staffordshire University has welcomed Ed Craig to his new role as Executive Dean of the Centre of Business, Innovation and Enterprise.

Ed is responsible for the leadership and development of this exciting new Centre which combines Staffordshire Business School and Employer Partnerships teams which also incorporates the Innovation Enterprise Zone (IEZ) and higher and degree apprenticeships.

Most recently, Ed was part of the Senior Management Team at the University of Edinburgh where he played a leading role in national and global research, innovation and educational partnerships including the Edinburgh Centre for Carbon Innovation – Scotland’s hub for sustainable policy, innovation, research and skills.

Prior to joining Staffordshire University, Ed also developed global partnerships including a unique partnership between the University of Edinburgh and Shanghai Jiao Tong University focused on driving knowledge exchange and action in sustainable research, teaching and innovation - the China-UK Low Carbon College.

However, Ed is now focused on an exciting new challenge which involves merging the talents of Staffordshire Business School and the enterprise, commercial and employability activities at Staffordshire University.

He explained: “We have an amazing opportunity to bring together our education, enterprise and employability talent to provide world class services and support locally and globally working in partnership with civic, public and commercial partners.

“Through our new Catalyst building and other great facilities, the Centre will build a virtuous eco-system enabling sustainable change designed to meet the regional and global grand challenges faced by our students, partners and the communities and employers that we work with.”

Ed will also play a leading role in the development of the Catalyst and driving academic, public, private partnerships locally and globally.

Welcoming the appointment Sally McGill, Chief Financial Officer and Deputy Chief Executive at Staffordshire University, said: “These are both exciting and challenging times. Ed has very relevant experience which will help us to deliver on the ambitions set out in our 2030 strategic plan. As a University which is committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2030, it’s also fantastic that he brings with him significant experience working nationally and internationally with businesses and partners to bring about out improvements in environmental sustainability.”

• Ed has worked in FE and HE for over 20 years. Prior to this he operated as an entrepreneur, start-up advisor and manager of a LEP regional enterprise eco-system. He has led numerous inter-disciplinary award-winning academic enterprise and education project partnerships.

Maria Scrivens

Communications Manager

t: 01782 294375

m: 07766 520339

e: m.c.scrivens@staffs.ac.uk

Staffordshire University is the Connected University; connected to the needs of students, academic partners, business and society. Our main city campus in Stoke-on-Trent features excellent learning and teaching facilities and good transport links. We have specialist Centres of Excellence in Healthcare Education at Stafford and Shrewsbury.  

We were recognised with a Gold award in the 2019 Teaching Excellence and Student Outcomes Framework (TEF) for delivering consistently outstanding teaching, learning and outcomes for students.  

We were shortlisted for University of the Year at the THE Awards 2020 and were named ‘Midlands University of the Year’ at the Midlands Business Awards 2020. 
 
Staffordshire University has signed up to the Civic University Agreement, pledging to play a leading role in improving the regional economy and enhancing quality of life in local communities. We were recognised in the top 15 for social inclusion in The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2021. We aim to be a leading university for digital technologies building on our proud computing heritage and in 2019 launched Staffordshire University London’s Digital Institute which is committed to preparing students for careers in new and emerging tech industries. 

We are a Top 250 Young University (Times Higher Education Young University Rankings 2020) and are connected globally, with more than 11,000 people studying Staffordshire University degrees overseas.

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