As we commemorate the 25th anniversary of UVAC’s incorporation on April 21, 1999, we’d like to introduce to you our Chair Professor Graham Baldwin, as this month’s featured board member.

Professor Graham Baldwin is Chair of UVAC, and was appointed in October 2021.

Professor Graham Baldwin has been the Vice-Chancellor at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) since 2019. Prior to becoming VC at UCLan, Professor Baldwin spent five years as the Vice-Chancellor of Solent University in Southampton. Before this, he worked as Deputy Vice-Chancellor at UCLan. He joined the Senior Management Team in 2003 and held posts as Dean of Academic Development and Director for Cumbria.

1. Professor Baldwin is a member of Universities UK, a Non-Executive Director of East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, Chair of Lancashire Innovation Board, Chair of the Maritime Skills Commission, Deputy Chair of the Universities and Colleges Employers Association, and a member of Lancashire Enterprise Partnership as he is passionate about supporting the ‘levelling up’ of Lancashire. Since 1 January 2023, Graham has been Chair of MillionPlus (the association for modern universities), having previously been Treasurer.

In his time as Chair of UVAC, Graham has lobbied on members’ behalf with ministers, shadow ministers and opposition spokespeople on how apprenticeships, including degree apprenticeships should be a priority for any government and be expanded. Although there are improvements that could be made to simplify the system, Graham argues that apprenticeships and degree apprenticeships are making a difference. The key issue is that substantially more Apprenticeships are needed. He welcomes a commitment from the Labour Party to expand degree apprenticeship as they have changed the perception of Apprenticeship from a programme for other people’s children, to an aspirational choice for all learners. 

He acknowledges that degree apprenticeships are now helping to recruit and train the nurses, medical doctors, police officers, social workers, managers, engineers and digital specialists, along with a range of other key occupations, that the public and private sectors need. In total almost 200 Apprenticeship standards have been developed at level 6 (bachelor’s degree level) and 7 (master’s degree level). The problem is that although England has the apprenticeship Standards, too few degree apprenticeships are actually delivered.

A keen cyclist and sportsman, Graham’s qualifications include: PhD Exercise Physiology; MSc Sports Science; BA (Hons) Sport and Recreation Studies; and a PGCE.