Dame Katherine becomes the first woman to hold the position of Chancellor at UofG.
Dame Katherine Grainger has officially been sworn in as the new Chancellor of the University of Glasgow.
Dame Katherine succeeds Sir Kenneth Calman, who had held the position of Chancellor since 2006. She is the first woman to hold the position and was the only individual to be nominated for the role back in March 2020, before the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Principal Anton Muscatelli commented on Twitter on her appointment: “Fantastic that we have been able to officially install our new Chancellor @UofGlasgow yesterday. Dame Katherine is a great advocate of educational opportunities and spoke passionately about how her values align with those of #TeamUofG – she is a proud alumna and a #WorldChanger.”
Katherine, 45, who was born in Glasgow is a celebrated athlete in rowing where she has won one gold and four silver medals at five successive Olympic Games, notably winning her gold medal in her home country of Britain at the London 2012 Olympic Games.
Alongside rowing, she has a history of studying in academia, including obtaining an undergraduate Honours Degree in Law (LLB) at the University of Edinburgh in 1997, a Masters of Philosophy (MPhil) at the University of Glasgow in 2001 and a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) at King’s College London in 2012, the same year she won her Olympic gold medal.
In addition to UofG Chancellor, Katherine is also a Fellow of King’s College London, Regent of the University of Edinburgh and has 10 Honorary Degrees, including UofG which she was awarded in 2013.
