Quick Facts
Biography
Andrea Nolan FRSE MRCVS OBE is Professor of Veterinary Pharmacology and Principal & Vice Chancellor of Edinburgh Napier University. In 1999, she was the first woman ever appointed to head a British veterinary school.
Early life
Nolan studied veterinary medicine at Trinity College Dublin, and undertook postgraduate study at the universities of Bristol and Cambridge and the Technical University of Munich.
Career
Nolan was appointed a lecturer at the University of Glasgow in 1989 and Professor of Veterinary Pharmacology in 1998. She continues to hold this post and remains active in research focused on pain in animals. In 1999, she was appointed Dean of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, the first female Dean at the University and the first woman to lead a British vet school.
Vice-Principal
In 2004, she was appointed Vice-Principal of the University with responsibility for Learning & Teaching, and in 2006 took on the additional responsibility of Internationalisation. At the same time, Anton Muscatelli, Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, was appointed Vice-Principal for Strategy, Budgeting and Advancement. In 2009, Muscatelli was appointed Principal of the University and shortly afterwards promoted Nolan to the new post of Senior Vice-Principal and Deputy Vice-Chancellor. Frank Coton, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, was appointed Vice-Principal for Learning & Teaching. In her new role, Nolan had particular responsibility for restructuring the University's nine Faculties into four new Colleges.
Principal & Vice Chancellor
Nolan was appointed the Principal & Vice Chancellor of Edinburgh Napier University in 2013, succeeding Dame Joan Stringer to the post, and intends to announce a new University strategy for 2014-2019 early next year.
Nolan is also Chair of the Scottish Higher Education Enhancement Committee, part of the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education.