Cardinal Nichols appointed chancellor of St Mary's University

Cardinal Vincent Nichols

The Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Vincent Nichols has been appointed the first Chancellor of St Mary’s University in Twickenham, west London. His appointment will take effect from September 1 and he will be formally installed as Chancellor at a ceremony later this year.

St Mary's was established in 1850 as a Catholic teacher training college. With an original intake of just six students, it has now grown to around 6,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students across four academic schools.

St Mary’s Chair of Governors Bishop Richard Moth said: “We are honoured that Cardinal Nichols has agreed to become the first ever Chancellor of our University. It underlines our long Catholic tradition which is at the heart of all we do.”

Cardinal Vincent Nichols said: “I am very pleased to accept the invitation of the University. St Mary’s enjoys a long and distinguished history and many generations of Catholic teachers have received the foundations of their service there. Among them I count my own father, Henry Nichols.

“The recent granting of University status to St Mary’s is a sign of the further strengthening of Christian-inspired Higher Education in England and Wales.

“I ask for God’s blessing on St Mary’s, its staff and students, in all of its future endeavours.”

St Mary’s was given a full university title by the Privy Council in January and became St Mary’s University, Twickenham.

For more information on St Mary's University see: www.smuc.ac.uk/