President and Vice-Chancellor

Biography

Nishan was born and educated in Sri Lanka, before moving to the UK where he received his BA (Hons) and PhD degrees from the University of Cambridge in 1989 and 1993.

He joined the University of Bristol as a research assistant in 1993 and worked in a number of academic roles, serving as the Faculty of Engineering Research Director, Head of Department of Computer Science, Head of Merchant Venturers School of Engineering and Dean of the Faculty of Engineering.  He became Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research and Enterprise in August 2014. 

Nishan is internationally recognised for his research on signal processing and texture classification. He served on national and international research funding, governance and postgraduate education panels, as well as acting as a technical consultant for Sony, BT, BBC, Orange, Thales, Toshiba and the Met Police.

As University of Bristol lead for equality, diversity and inclusion, Nishan championed a diverse and welcoming University community that reflected his role as one of the Bristol Race Equality Commissioners and position on the Governing Board of the Bristol City Funds.

University of Leicester

Nishan assumed the role of President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Leicester on 4 November 2019.

As President and Vice-Chancellor, he works with all colleagues to build on the University’s world-class reputation in research and teaching to make a positive change in the world. He is responsible for all University activities and leads the direction for overall business and academic strategies. 

He chairs the University’s Executive Board and Senior Leadership Team and is an ex-officio member of the University Council.

Nishan delivered his inaugural address as President and Vice-Chancellor at the University of Leicester in January 2020. During his address he announced the development of the Leicester Institute for Inclusion in Higher Education and pledged that the University would achieve a net zero carbon emission target by 2040.

In October 2021, Nishan launched the University’s Centenary celebrations, marking 100 years since the University welcomed its first students.  

Nishan led the development of a new University strategy, which was published in November 2021. 

Speeches and Blogs

Speeches

• Nishan delivered his inaugural address as President and Vice-Chancellor at the University of Leicester in January 2020. During his address he announced the development of the Leicester Institute for Inclusion in Higher Education and pledged that the University would achieve a net zero carbon emission target by 2040.
• Nishan delivered a speech to launch the University’s new ten-year strategy in November 2021.
• In February 2022, Nishan delivered the F.L. Attenborough Lecture to the Leicester Literary and Philosophical Society entitled: Celebrating the University of Leicester’s Centenary.
• In May 2022, he delivered a keynote speech at the Leicestershire Business Voice Members’ Dinner.

Blogs

• In September 2020, he wrote a blog for the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) on the lessons learned from the COVID-19 lockdown in Leicester.
• In November 2021, Nishan authored a blog published by HEPI on the use of the entry tariff metric in university league tables and how dropping this could offer a route to levelling up.
• In March 2022, HEPI published a blog from Nishan, in his capacity as one of the commissioners of the TALENT Commission, on using collaboration as a catalyst for change in the research ecosystem.
• In April 2022, Nishan wrote a blog for HEPI on his reflections on the University of Leicester’s Centenary.
• In January 2023, HEPI published Nishan’s blog on the opportunities and challenges presented by Leicester emerging as the first plural city in the UK. The blog draws on the findings of the 2021 Census data showing that no ethnic group has a majority in Leicester.

External roles

Nishan has taken on a number of national roles since his appointment as President and Vice-Chancellor. He conducts these roles in support of important activities related to the higher education sector:

• During 2019 and 2020, Nishan was a member of the University UK working group to address racial harassment in higher education. The group published a report in 2020 with recommendations for universities to adopt to address racial inequality in UK higher education. 
• In February 2021, he was appointed to the IntoUniversity Trustees Board, IntoUniversity is the leading widening participation charity in the UK. Their aim is to encourage children from disadvantaged communities to aspire to, and acquire the educational skills, to enter university.
• In September 2022, Nishan joined the Universities UK Board. Universities UK is the collective voice of 140 universities across the UK and the UUK Board is its main decision-making body.
• He is also the Chair of Trustees of The Conversation Trust, an independent source of news and views, sourced from the academic and research community and delivered direct to the public. It aims to allow for better understanding of current affairs and complex issues and rebuild trust in journalism. 
• He is a Commissioner for the Midlands Innovation Policy TALENT Policy Commission. 
• He is a member of the local LLEP Board. 
• In January 2023, Nishan was appointed as a member of the Universities and College Employers Association Board.