Professor Frances Corner OBE

The first woman to take on the role of leading Goldsmiths, Professor Corner is the academic and administrative leader of the university. 

She leads the Executive Board, which considers major policy issues and oversees the submission of business to Council, Academic Board and Finance and Resources Committee.

Professor Corner has more than 20 years’ experience in higher education leadership.

Before joining Goldsmiths, she was Head of the London College of Fashion and Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Arts London.

Previously she was Head of the Sir John Cass Department of Art, Media and Design at London Metropolitan University (2001-2005), and Associate Dean in the Faculty of Arts and Humanities at the University of Gloucestershire (1998-2001).

Frances joined Goldsmiths as Warden in 2019, with this former title reflecting our institution's links to the City Livery Company the Goldsmiths' Company. She became Vice-Chancellor when Goldsmiths was awarded a Supplemental Charter in 2024.  

Frances is a board member for the University of London and London Higher and Chair of the AccessHE Steering Group. She is Executive Chair of the London Higher Sustainability Network and a member of the Universities UK Task and Finish Group exploring how UK universities can address climate change.

She is a Council member for the All-Party Parliamentary University Group and Creative UK.

Frances is Chair of Trustees at Maudsley Charity. She was previously Chair of the International Foundation of Fashion Technology Institutes and Chair of Trustees for the House of Illustration. She was also a board member for Advance HE, the Wallace Collection and Centrepoint, the youth homelessness charity. 

In 2009, Professor Corner was awarded an OBE for services to fashion higher education and widening participation in arts education.

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To get in touch with Frances, please contact executiveoffice (@gold.ac.uk).

If you have a media request for the Warden please contact the press office.