Lisa Mann

Lisa Mann is the Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer of Arts University Bournemouth (AUB), a role she assumed in January 2025 following the retirement of Professor Paul Gough. Her appointment reflects a distinguished career in higher education, marked by innovative leadership and a commitment to advancing creative disciplines.

Higher Education experience and career background

Lisa Mann's career includes HE consultancy and running her own businesses; her academic experience spans both public and private sectors within higher education. Before joining AUB, she served as Head of Higher Education at the Fashion Retail Academy, an industry-led institution founded by major retailers such as Next, M&S, F&F, and Experian. In this role, she was instrumental in aligning academic programs with industry needs.

Prior to that, she was the Principal Academic Director at the Vogue College of Fashion, where she collaborated closely with the CEO to develop a significant portfolio strategy. Her initiatives included the introduction of successful Online Insights courses and bespoke Global Executive Education packages for companies like Burberry. Lisa’s experience before Condé Nast saw her working for Solent University for fourteen years; her HE consultancy work saw her working with several providers, including Roehampton and Nottingham Trent Universities.

Contributions and achievements at Arts University Bournemouth

Lisa Mann joined AUB in December 2022 as Executive Director of Innovation. In this capacity, she prioritised the development of a distinctive course portfolio across undergraduate and postgraduate schools. Her efforts led to the introduction of a range of new courses and the establishment of a new undergraduate school focusing on the leadership and management of the arts and creative industries.

In 2024, she was promoted to Deputy Vice-Chancellor, further expanding her influence on the university's strategic direction. Under her leadership, AUB launched the School of Arts, Media, and Creative Industries Management, introducing undergraduate degrees in areas such as Communication Design and Strategy, Creative Direction, Digital Content Production and Strategy, Media, Marketing and Advertising, and Fashion Management and Strategy.

Lisa also played a pivotal role in AUB's first transnational education partnership with British University Vietnam (BUV). This collaboration led to the successful implementation of the BA (Hons) Professional Communication (Business, Design and Strategy) course at BUV, marking a significant milestone in AUB's international outreach, and leading to further courses being launched in partnership with BUV.

Beyond curriculum development, she has been an advocate for the value of creative graduates. As Chair of the Steering Group for the "Value of Creative Graduates" report, published by GuildHE and UKADIA, she addressed challenges in defining the value of creative education and proposed recommendations for higher education providers, businesses, and government to realign perceptions.

Lisa Mann's tenure at AUB is characterised by her commitment to innovation, entrepreneurship, industry collaboration, and the promotion of creative disciplines as vital components of the economy and society. Her leadership continues to shape AUB's role as a leading institution in creative arts education.