WATCH: Getting to Know the University Executive – Professor John Holden
23 Jan 2026
John Holden, Vice-President for Civic Engagement and Innovation, will play an integral part in delivering our strategy
As part of our ‘Getting to Know UE’ series, we caught up with Vice-President for Civic Engagement and Innovation, John Holden, to find out why he took on the role, what makes him happy and who he is outside of work.
John, who took up the role in October 2025, initially joined the University in 2020 as the Associate Vice-President for Major Special Projects.
What is the Vice-President of Civic Engagement and Innovation responsible for?
The role, which is part of the University Executive, is responsible for driving The University of Manchester’s strategic agenda across civic engagement and innovation, working in partnership with local, regional and national stakeholders, and across the full breadth of our university community.