UWE Bristol appoints new Dean of Research and Enterprise in College of Business and Law

Professor Rachel Granger has joined UWE Bristol as the new Dean of Research and Enterprise for the College of Business and Law.

Prof Granger’s research focuses on cities and urban growth and has established her as a leading voice on creative and smart cities, collaborative governance and design leadership. Her work in 'spatial-relational mapping' explores how local social networks, underground scenes and local environments can forge a new understanding in innovation studies.

In her previous post as Interim Associate Dean Research and Innovation in Leicester Business School, and Research Director (Creative and Heritage Industries) at De Montfort University, Leicester, she worked to direct multi-sector partnerships with the City's community of innovators including Leicester's Cultural Quarter and Leicester Urban Innovation Lab.

Her expertise has been called on across entrepreneurial circles, including MIT REAP's Innovation Board, which worked to develop an economic recovery strategy for Leicester and then the East Midlands, smart city strategies, and sustainable models for textiles and growing design industries. Prof Granger headed up Leicester's Civic University Agreement with three universities.

Prof Granger brings over 20 years of research and leadership experience and hopes to champion a collaborative spirit in the College of Business and Law.

She said: “I'm looking forward to the conversations and opportunities my new role presents. I've already been struck by the excellent reputation of UWE Bristol within the city. By championing this collaborative and constructive mindset, we can foster the innovation we need to achieve business excellence.”