People - Advisory Board

VP International and Engagement, University of Southampton

Prof. Andrew Atherton is Vice-President (International and Engagement) and Professor of Entrepreneurship at the University of Southampton. He brings extensive senior leadership experience across the UK higher education sector, having previously served as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Dundee, Deputy Vice-Chancellor at Lancaster University, and Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the University of Lincoln.

Professor Atherton has also held senior international roles in transnational education, most notably as Global Director for Transnational Education at Navitas, where he led the development of offshore campuses and international university partnerships. His career spans academic leadership, institutional strategy, international engagement, and enterprise development.

An established scholar in entrepreneurship and small and medium-sized enterprise development, his research focuses particularly on enterprise policy, business start-ups, and entrepreneurship in China. He has published widely in leading journals and is co-author of Entrepreneurship in China. He holds degrees in Chinese and Economics from SOAS University of London, a master’s degree in International and Development Economics from Yale University, and a PhD in entrepreneurship from the University of Lincoln.