Anthony McClaran

Anthony McClaran is the third Vice-Chancellor of St Mary’s University and took up the post on 20th April 2020.

Anthony has recently returned to the UK from Australia, where he served as CEO of the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) from 2015 to 2020. Prior to that move, Anthony was Chief Executive of the UK’s Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) from 2009-15 and Chief Executive of the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) from 2003-09.

A graduate with a First Class Honours degree in English and American Literature from the University of Kent, Anthony began his career in higher education at the University of Warwick, where he held a number of posts including Admissions Officer. In 1992 he moved to the University of Hull to take up the post of Academic Registrar, with responsibility for recruitment, admissions, student records, international affairs and academic resource allocation. In 1995 he was appointed Acting Registrar and Secretary.

Anthony has served as a member of the boards of the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA) and the International Network for Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education (INQAAHE), and has recently begun his second term on the International Advisory Board for the US Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). During his time in Australia he was a member of the Audit and Risk Committee for the Australian Accounting Standards Board (AASB) and the Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (AUASB), and was a member of the Expert Panel for the National Review of Teacher Registration and Implementation Group for Admissions Transparency. He has held a number of governance roles at all levels of education and was Chair of Council and Pro-Chancellor of the University of Gloucestershire from 2007 to 2009.

Anthony is married to Mary-Ann and they have four children.