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Baroness Chakrabarti CBE announced as Birkbeck’s President

Baroness Chakrabarti is Birkbeck’s 17th President since its foundation in 1823.

A woman in a black top and cropped haircut gives a small smile to the camera
Rt Hon Baroness Chakrabarti CBE

The Rt Hon Baroness Chakrabarti CBE has been announced as Birkbeck, University of London’s new President following a meeting of its Governing body on Thursday 12 December.

As Birkbeck’s President, Shami Chakrabarti, will play an important honorary ambassadorial and ceremonial role at the College. Her appointment follows on from Baroness Bakewell, who was President from 2012 to September 2024, when she stepped down.

A Member of the House of Lords since 2016, Baroness Chakrabarti is a labour peer, human rights lawyer, campaigner, and privy counsellor. She served as Shadow Attorney General from 2016 to 2020 and director of Liberty (the National Council for Civil Liberties) from 2003 to 2016. Called to the Bar in 1994, she worked as a Home Office lawyer from 1996 to 2001. She has written, spoken and broadcast widely, is author of three books and has a deep interest in higher education. She holds a number of visiting Fellowships and has previously been Chancellor of two universities: Oxford Brookes and the University of Essex.

Baroness Chakrabarti said: “I am passionate about the power of education to enhance people’s lives. Birkbeck is known for its contribution to social mobility through education, so I am really pleased to have been appointed as its new President. I look forward to meeting the College’s students and staff members, as well as advocating for and championing its work."

Sir Andrew Cahn, Chair of Governors said: “I am delighted that we have appointed Baroness Chakrabarti as Birkbeck’s next President. She is a distinguished politician, lawyer, and campaigner whose work as an advocate for human rights and whose interest in higher education has a deep affinity with Birkbeck’s mission to make high quality university education accessible to all for whom it may be of benefit.”

Baroness Chakrabarti is Birkbeck’s 17th President since its foundation in 1823. Its former Presidents are:

  1. 2012-2024: Baroness Joan Bakewell, MA (Cantab)
  2. 2002-2012: Professor Eric Hobsbawm, CH FRSL FBA
  3. 1998-2002: Baroness Smith of Gilmorehill, MA
  4. 1993-1998: The Rt Hon Lord Healey of Riddlesden, CH, MBE
  5. 1989-1993: Lord Young of Dartington, BSc(Econ), MA, PhD
  6. 1983-1989: The Baroness Lockwood of Dewsbury, HonDLitt, HonDSc
  7. 1952-1983: The Rt Hon Lord Denning, LLD, DCL, FBA
  8. 1947-1950: Field-Marshal The Rt Hon Earl Wavell, GCB, GCSI, GCIE, CMG, MC, LLD
  9. 1942-1944: The Most Rev and Rt Hon William Temple, PC, Archbishop of Canterbury
  10. 1935-1936: HRH The Duke of York
  11. 1929-1933: The Rt Hon Viscount Burnham, GCMG, CH, LLD, DLitt
  12. 1919-1928: The Rt Hon Viscount Haldane of Cloan, KT, OM, FRS
  13. 1903-1915: The Rt Hon Lord Alverstone, GCMG
  14. 1888-1897: The Rt Hon The Earl of Northbrook, GCSI
  15. 1841-1888: William Lloyd Birkbeck, MA, QC
  16. 1823-1841: George Birkbeck, MD

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