The University is delighted to have appointed The Baroness Morris of Bolton OBE DL DPhil LLD as its first Chancellor. Lady Morris took the position with effect from 1 January 2010, for a three-year term.
Lady Morris was officially installed as Chancellor at the University's summer 2010 Degree Congregation Ceremonies when she was also awarded two Honorary Doctorates by the University. She was uniquely honoured by the University with her admission simultaneously to the Higher Degrees of Doctor of Laws, for her contribution to legislative processes and democracy, and Doctor of Philosophy, for her contribution to political thought.
One of her first duties was to visit the United Arab Emirates in February, to confer degrees on the first students to graduate from the University's Ras al Khaimah campus, including the Emirate's then Crown Prince Sheik Saud who received a Doctorate of the University. His Highness Sheik Saud is now the Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah and a member of the Supreme Council of the United Arab Emirates.
Patricia Morris, who was Vice Chairman of the Conservative Party, became a member of the House of Lords in June 2004, when she was appointed a Life Peer. She is now a Deputy Speaker.
In the six years as a Front Bench Conservative working peer, Lady Morris served as Shadow Minister for Education, Shadow Minister for Children, Schools and Families, Shadow Minister for Women and was an Opposition Whip. Lady Morris was also a spokesman on Health and Work and Pensions. Lady Morris is a member of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights and is also Chairman of the Conservative Middle East Council as well as Chairman of the All Party Group for the Arab League. Lady Morris is a member of the International Advisory Board of the Amman Arab University and also a Patron of the Committee for Education in the Commonwealth. Additionally she has been Vice-Chairman of the All Party Group for Britain/Palestine. She is currently President of the World Travel Market. Other parliamentary roles and interests have included being Vice Chairman of the Breast Cancer All Party Group and Vice Chairman for the All Party Group on Children and Families, as well as co-Chair of Women in Public Policy.
Lady Morris is a Trustee of UNICEF UK, a Trustee of both The Disability Partnership and the Transformation Trust and is president of the National Benevolent Institution.