Academic leadership

Academic leadership at the University of Brighton is provided through our two Colleges, which bring together related disciplines to support collaboration, innovation and student success.

Each College is led by an Executive Dean who is responsible for the overall academic performance, strategic development and culture of their College. Working closely with the University Executive Board and professional service leaders, Executive Deans provide leadership across teaching and learning, research and knowledge exchange, student outcomes, external partnerships and staff development.

Supported by Deputy Executive Deans, Directors of College Operations and Heads of Departments, they ensure their Colleges deliver excellent teaching, impactful research and meaningful engagement with industry, professions and communities.

The University's new College structure was introduced in August 2026.

As part of the transition, appointments to departmental leadership roles are currently being finalised. From January 2027, each department will be led by a Head of Department, providing academic and operational leadership within their disciplinary area.

Information about Heads of Department will be added to this page once appointments have been confirmed.

Meet our Executive Deans and their teams

College of Health, Education and Public Life 

Dr Angela Glynn
Executive Dean

Angela joined the University of Brighton from the NHS as a Physiotherapy Lecturer Practitioner in 2002 and took a full-time post in 2003 having completed her PhD. She has excelled in a number of important roles including BSc(Hons) Physiotherapy course leader and Physiotherapy team lead; MRes Clinical Research course leader; Assistant Head School of Health Professions; Deputy Head of School of Health Sciences and then Associate Dean of School of Sport and Health Sciences, leading on student experience, quality and learning and teaching; and Chair of Apprenticeship Approval Panel.

Following completion of her Senior Leadership MBA, Angela was appointed Dean of the School of Sports and Health Sciences in October 2021 and before becoming Dean of the merged School of Education, Sports and Health Sciences in August 2024. She was appointed to her current role in August 2026.

More about Dr Angela Glynn
Contact: a.glynn@brighton.ac.uk

College leadership team

Dr Louise MacKenzie
Deputy Executive Dean (Education and Student Experience)

More about Dr Louise MacKenzie
Contact: l.mackenzie2@brighton.ac.uk

Andy Davies
Deputy Executive Dean (Employability, Enterprise and Student Success)

More about Andy Davies
Contact: a.j.davies@brighton.ac.uk

Dan Quin
Director of College Operations
Contact: d.quin@brighton.ac.uk

Dr Angela Glynn

College of Creativity, Technology and Society

Professor Imran Rafiq
Executive Dean

Imran studied Civil Engineering at the University of Engineering and Technology in Pakistan in 1999 before obtaining an MSc and PhD in Engineering Structures from the University of Surrey, whose teaching staff he joined in 2005. Imran joined the University of Brighton in 2013 and gained experience through a number of key responsibilities such as the course leader for MSc Highway Engineering Management and design thread leader within Civil Engineering programmes. He became the Deputy Head of School (Quality Assurance and Enhancement) in 2016 and then Associate Dean (Education and Student Experience) in 2020. Imran was appointed Dean of the School of Architecture, Technology and Engineering in March 2023 before moving to his current role in August 2026.

Imran’s research focuses on quantifying deterioration in structures, including that caused by climate changes, and how this impacts their performance. He is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA) and an active member of the International Association of Bridge Maintenance and Management (IABMAS). Imran is also a member of the International Federation for Structural Concrete (FIB) Commission 8 on concrete-related durability issues, and an active member of various task groups in the development of Model Code 2020 for the design of concrete structures.

More about Professor Imran Rafiq
Contact: m.rafiq@brighton.ac.uk

College leadership team

Dr James Cole
Deputy Executive Dean (Education and Student Experience)

More about Dr James Cole
Contact: j.n.cole@brighton.ac.uk

Dr Lara Perry
Deputy Executive Dean (Employability, Enterprise and Student Success)

More about Dr Lara Perry
Contact: lara.perry@brighton.ac.uk

Jo Corbett
Director of College Operations (joining October 2026)

Professor Imran Rafiq

Brighton and Sussex Medical School

BSMS is a joint partnership between the University of Brighton and the University of Sussex. The Dean of BSMS reports jointly to the Vice-Chancellors of the University of Brighton and the University of Sussex.

Professor Richard McManus
Dean of Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS)

Richard started as the third Dean of Brighton and Sussex Medical School in September 2024.

He qualified from St Mary’s Hospital Medical School and trained in both Medicine (St Mary’s) and General Practice (Gloucestershire) before moving to Birmingham to pursue an academic career. In Birmingham he undertook the first UK trial of the self-monitoring of blood pressure which formed the basis of his PhD. Following NIHR funded post-doctoral training, in 2009 he was appointed to a Chair in Primary Care Research in Birmingham before moving to a statutory Professorship in Oxford in 2011. In Oxford he gained an NIHR Professorship and subsequently an NIHR Senior Investigator Award.

More about Professor Richard McManus
Contact: DeansOffice@bsms.ac.uk
More about Brighton and Sussex Medical School

Professor Richard McManus