Lord Ribeiro to step down as Chancellor of Anglia Ruskin University
Anglia Ruskin University bids a warm farewell to its Chancellor, Lord Bernard Ribeiro CBE FRCS, who has announced he will step down at the end of this academic year following a period of distinguished service to the University community.
Lord Ribeiro took up the role of Chancellor in January 2021, bringing with him a remarkable record of achievement in medicine, public service and national leadership. During his tenure, he has been an enthusiastic and engaged ambassador for ARU, championing its values and supporting its community with genuine warmth. He has played a prominent role in University life, from leading graduation ceremonies to hosting Friends and Supporters’ Dinners and engaging extensively with the School of Medicine.
His association with ARU began before his appointment as Chancellor, and he played a key role in supporting the establishment of the University’s School of Medicine. Recognising early on the potential for a medical school rooted in place, committed to widening access and focused on training the clinicians the health service needs, he has taken great pride in seeing that vision become a reality and continue to grow in impact.
Throughout his time as Chancellor, Lord Ribeiro has contributed to many of the University’s most significant moments, celebrating the achievements of students and their families and helping to bring together ARU’s wider community of partners and supporters. Colleagues and students alike have valued his generosity with time, his encouragement, and his steadfast commitment to the University’s mission of transforming lives through education, research and engagement.
Lord Ribeiro’s own life and career have been an inspiration. Born in Achimota, in what is now Ghana, he came to the UK as a child and went on to study medicine at the Middlesex Hospital Medical School, qualifying as a doctor in 1967. He later became a consultant general surgeon in Essex, helping to pioneer minimally invasive “keyhole” surgery and contributing to the advancement of this in the NHS.
A former President of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, he was awarded a CBE in 2004, knighted in 2009, and appointed to the House of Lords as a life peer in 2010. ARU recognised his contribution to medicine by awarding him an Honorary Doctor of Science in 2008.
As Chancellor, Lord Ribeiro has consistently embodied the values that underpin ARU’s work — inclusivity, ambition, integrity and community. He has celebrated the achievements of students and staff, reinforced the University’s commitment to social mobility and inclusive excellence, and helped strengthen ARU’s profile and relationships far beyond the institution.
Reflecting on his time at ARU, Lord Ribeiro said:
"Although I will be stepping down from this role, my connection with Anglia Ruskin will not end. It is an institution that I care deeply about, and I will continue to follow its progress with great interest, and look forward to being a friend and supporter in the years ahead."
Everyone at Anglia Ruskin University thanks Lord Ribeiro for his exceptional service. The process to appoint his successor is underway and we will be announcing our new Chancellor in due course.