Professor Tracy Bhamra, Provost and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Global) at Royal Holloway, University of London, has been appointed to the Council of UKRI’s Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC).

As part of a 14-member Council, Professor Bhamra will share responsibility for the strategic direction and financial management of the AHRC – which funds world-class, independent research across the arts and humanities, from philosophy and creative industries to art conservation and product design.

It serves an essential national role across the arts, humanities and creative industries, and its work tackles major societal challenges, including modern slavery, the ethical implications of artificial intelligence, and fundamental questions about what it means to be human.

Royal Holloway is a proudly research-intensive University of Social Purpose, with arts and humanities a key area of expertise. Professor Bhamra will bring extensive insights from her leadership roles – which span academic, global partnerships and civic engagement – and the wider research and learning environment at Royal Holloway to the Council.

Professor Tracy Bhamra said: "It’s a huge honour to have been appointed to the Council of the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC).

“I’m very excited to collaborate with colleagues across the sector on its work to support critical research, training and knowledge exchange in the arts and humanities, that is sustainable in the long term and gets the recognition it deserves."

Royal Holloway is a top-tier research institution in the arts and humanities, with 88% of its research rated 4 or 3 (world-leading or internationally excellent) in the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021, and a member of the ResearchPlus collective.

The University is ranked 15 in the UK for the overall quality of its research outputs, with key strengths in the arts and humanities for Drama, Music, Politics, Psychology and Modern Languages and Linguistics.