The University of Westminster has appointed Julia Palca as its new Chair for the Court of Governors, taking over from Lynne Berry in September.
The Court of Governors is the University’s governing body, which approves its long-term objectives and strategies, as well as providing overall financial and organisational oversight. For almost five years, the Court has been chaired by Lynne Berry, who will hand the baton to Palca when her tenure ends later this year.
Palca brings a wealth of governance and board leadership experience, in Higher Education and other sectors. She currently serves as Chair of the Mines Advisory Group and as Vice Chair of Guy’s and St Thomas’ Foundation, and is a former Board Member of the Universities and Colleges Employers Association. Palca stood down from her role as Deputy Chair of City St George’s, University of London, in May 2026.
Palca said: “I’ve had a long association with the University of Westminster, and I continue to share Westminster’s values and aspirations. I love the focus on being responsible, relevant and inclusive and the commitment to supporting students, whatever their background, to realise their full potential. There is a strong community of colleagues who are having an impact on some of the big social and economic questions, and I’m proud to be joining this community as Chair of the Governors and Pro Chancellor. Together we can build a richer, happier society though knowledge exchange, teaching and research.”
Berry added: “It has been an enormous privilege to chair Westminster's Court of Governors. As I step down at the end of my term of office, I’m delighted to welcome Julia as my successor. She is an experienced higher education Chair, she shares Westminster’s values and she brings a strong commitment to our mission and to good governance. I know her leadership experience will help support the University towards continued success in the future. It will also reinforce our commitment to finding new ways to improve lives through sustainable and inclusive education and research.”
The Court of Governors support the University’s contribution to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions. Since 2019, the University of Westminster has used the SDGs holistically to frame strategic decisions to help students and colleagues fulfil their potential and contribute to a more sustainable, equitable and healthier society.
Find out more about the Court of Governors at the University of Westminster.
