Evelyn Welch to chair Russell Group as Chris Day steps down after challenging era

University of Bristol Vice-Chancellor takes over as tenth Chair of the Russell Group from August 2026, inheriting an incoming Chief Executive and a sector under significant pressure.

Professor Evelyn Welch, University of Bristol Vice-Chancellor and incoming Chair of the Russell Group

Professor Evelyn Welch, Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Bristol, has been named as the next Chair of the Russell Group, the body representing 24 of the United Kingdom's research-intensive universities.

Welch will succeed Professor Chris Day in August 2026, becoming the tenth Chair of the group and taking the role at a moment of significant financial, political and operational pressure across the UK higher education sector.

The Russell Group is a self-selected association of 24 public research-intensive universities in the United Kingdom, founded in 1994 and often described as the UK's equivalent of the US Ivy League or Australia's Group of Eight. Its members include the universities of Oxford, Cambridge, Edinburgh, Manchester, Bristol and University College London, and collectively they account for the majority of UK research funding, doctoral training and international student recruitment at the most selective end of the sector.

The appointment was announced on April 22, 2026. Welch has served as Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Bristol since September 2022.

Welch says the role carries weight beyond the membership. "It is an honor to be named as the tenth Chair of the Russell Group", she says. She continues: "I welcome the opportunity to work with this outstanding group of world-leading universities, and with other higher education mission groups, as we continue to advocate for the importance of universities to the UK's success, nationally and globally."

Welch went on to frame the Chair's remit around the sector's contribution to public services and the economy. "Russell Group universities make a huge difference to people's lives every day", she says, adding that "it is a privilege to chair a body whose members support our NHS, our businesses and entrepreneurs, our cities and our regions."

Welch inherits a new Chief Executive and a sector under financial pressure

The handover coincides with a separate change at the top of the Russell Group's executive team. Outgoing Chief Executive Tim Bradshaw has stepped down, and Libby Hackett will take up the Chief Executive role shortly. Dr Hollie Chandler is currently Acting Chief Executive.

Welch acknowledged the context Day and his team have navigated. "I would like to thank the current Chair Professor Chris Day, his Deputy Chair, Professor Shearer West and the outgoing Chief Executive, Tim Bradshaw for their exceptional service", she says. She continues that they have "led the Russell Group through very challenging times", and says she looks forward to working with Hackett as she takes up her new role.

Chandler and Day position the group around research-to-jobs agenda

Chandler positioned Welch's incoming tenure around the group's economic and community impact. "I am delighted to welcome Evelyn as incoming Chair of the Russell Group", Chandler says. She continues: "Across the UK, Russell Group universities are turning groundbreaking research into jobs and skills, creating opportunity and supporting communities to thrive."

Day used his outgoing statement to thank the group and endorse Welch. "It has been a privilege to Chair the Russell Group and to champion the vital role our universities play in improving lives, driving innovation and supporting economic growth", Day says. He continues: "I am pleased to welcome Evelyn as the next Chair and look forward to seeing the group continue to deliver real-world impact for communities across the UK and beyond through our collective world-leading research and education."

Welch's first months in the Chair will coincide with Hackett's first months as Chief Executive, meaning the Russell Group will open the 2026 to 2027 academic year with both a new Chair and a new Chief Executive. The open question for the sector is whether this fresh team can secure a stronger funding and policy settlement for research-intensive universities at a point when many are cutting courses and jobs.