Queen Mary announces new Vice-President for Education

She will also take up the role of Professor of Languages and the Visual Arts when she joins the University this coming December.

An experienced academic leader with a strong commitment to educational excellence, inclusion, and global engagement, Giuliana is joining Queen Mary from Royal Holloway, University of London. At Royal Holloway, University of London, she held various senior leadership roles including Head of Department, Executive Dean of the School of Humanities, Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, and Associate Pro-Vice-Chancellor (International).

As a passionate advocate for ensuring all students succeed, Giuliana’s values align closely with Queen Mary’s vision and mission to open the doors of opportunity through excellence to anyone with the potential to succeed.

She is committed to improving student outcomes by working in partnership with staff, students and external partners to drive curriculum innovation, assessment reform, educational inclusion, and employability. She champions authentic assessment, skills development, and employer engagement, helping ensure graduates are equipped with the knowledge and the skills most desired by employers. 

Giuliana takes over the role from Professor Stephanie Marshall, who has been at Queen Mary for eight years. In this time, Stephanie has played a vital role in ensuring the University’s education provision remained excellent and focused on student success, exemplified by Queen Mary being ranked among the top 20 UK universities targeted by the largest number of top employers for six consecutive years.

Speaking on her appointment, Professor Giuliana Pieri said: “I am delighted to be joining Queen Mary. What excites me most is the opportunity to work with colleagues and students at a university whose commitment to excellence and inclusion is so deeply embedded in its mission. Queen Mary has a distinctive ability to transform lives through education, and I look forward to helping build an outstanding student educational experience that matches the exceptional outcomes its students already achieve.”

Professor Colin Bailey, CBE, President and Principal of Queen Mary said: “I am delighted that Giuliana will be joining the Queen Mary community later this year. I have no doubt that the wealth of experience she brings in education and global engagement, coupled with her passion for inclusion, will ensure the continued success of our excellent education provision and the success of our students when they graduate.

“I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to Professor Stephanie Marshall for all the incredible work she has done in the role of Vice-President for Education and I look forward to her continuing to work with the University, including in advising on the Queen Mary Academy’s Academic Leadership Programmes.”

Alongside her educational leadership, Giuliana maintains an internationally recognised research profile in visual culture and modern European cultural history and has contributed extensively to academic publishing, public engagement, and curatorial practice.

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