Professor Paul Boyle appointed Chair of The Conversation UK
The Conversation UK is delighted to announce the appointment of Professor Paul Boyle, Vice-Chancellor of Swansea University, as the new Chair of its Board of Trustees.
Professor Boyle succeeds Professor Nishan Canagarajah, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Leicester, who stepped down in December 2025.
Professor Boyle has been Vice-Chancellor of Swansea University since 2019. Prior to this, he was President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Leicester, and formerly Chief Executive of the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), the UK’s largest funding agency for social science research. He has recently completed a nine-year term as Vice-President of the European University Association, which represents over 800 universities in 48 countries, and eight years as a UUK Board Member. He has previously served as International Champion of Research Councils UK, with responsibility for international strategy across all seven UK research councils, and as President of Science Europe, representing over 50 European funding agencies.
A Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales, the British Academy and the Academy of Social Sciences, Professor Boyle currently chairs Jisc, the not-for-profit organisation providing digital services and solutions to the UK’s higher and further education sector, the British Council Wales Advisory Committee and the UKSA’s Research Accreditation Panel.
Dr David Levy, Deputy Chair of The Conversation UK, who has chaired the Board in the interim, said: “Following a wide search process, the Board was extremely impressed by Paul’s vision for The Conversation and his deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing UK Higher Education. He is the right leader to guide us through the next phase of our development, and we’re thrilled to welcome him.”
Chris Waiting, Chief Executive of The Conversation UK, said: “I’m delighted by Paul’s appointment. His experience spanning research funding, university leadership and international collaboration makes him uniquely placed to champion The Conversation’s mission to make research accessible. I’m looking forward to working with him as we continue to evolve and expand our impact.”
Stephen Khan, Editor of The Conversation UK said: “Since we launched in the UK in 2013, The Conversation has grown into a critical international channel for taking academic knowledge direct to the public. Paul joins us at a key moment, and his combination of research leadership and deep roots in UK higher education makes him a fantastic person to help us shape what comes next.”
Professor Paul Boyle said: “The Conversation is an organisation that I have long admired, and it is a privilege to take on this important role. At a time when universities face unprecedented challenges, The Conversation has a critical mission in connecting research with new audiences and demonstrating the real-world value of academic expertise is vital to the UK Higher Education sector; I therefore very much look forward to the opportunities ahead.”
Professor Boyle will join the Board in May 2026.
About The Conversation
The Conversation is the world’s largest platform for public engagement with research, transforming how universities share knowledge with society. Launched in the UK in 2013, it is now part of a global network of ten editions reaching more than 40 million readers each month.
The Conversation connects academic expertise with public understanding, working with researchers across the UK Higher Education sector and a team of professional editors to produce rigorous, accessible journalism that shapes public debate, informs policy and drives social change. It is funded by more than 90 university members across the UK, Ireland, Sweden, Italy, the Netherlands and Germany, as well as through grants from UKRI, Research England and Medr, and reader donations. All content is freely available and republished under a Creative Commons licence.