{{short description|British academic (born 1959)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2022}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Colin Riordan | image = Prof Riordan and Brig Fraser (Colin cropped).jpg | caption = Professor Riordan in 2019 | order1 = | office1 = Vice-Chancellor of Cardiff University | term_start1 = September 2012 | term_end1 = August 2023 | predecessor1 = Sir David Grant | successor1 = Wendy Larner | office2 = Vice-Chancellor of the University of Essex | term_start2 = October 2007 | term_end2 = 2012 | predecessor2 = Sir Ivor Crewe | successor2 = Anthony Forster | birth_name = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1959|07|27}} | birth_place = Paderborn, Germany | children = 2 | profession = Academic, Higher Education administrator | relations = | spouse = | website = | salary = | honorific_suffix = {{postnominals|country=GBR|CBE|FLSW}} | module = {{Infobox academic | child = yes | alma_mater = University of Manchester (PhD) | thesis_title = The Ethics of Narration: Uwe Johnson's Novels from Ingrid Babendererde to Jahrestage | thesis_url = https://www.mhra.org.uk/publications/td-28 | thesis_year = 1986 | discipline = German language, German studies | sub_discipline = Post-war German literature and culture | workplaces = {{unbulleted list |University College Swansea | Newcastle University | University of Essex | Cardiff University }} }} }} '''Colin Bryan Riordan''' {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|CBE}} FLSW (born 27 July 1959) is a British academic who was formerly President and Vice-Chancellor of Cardiff University from September 2012 to August 2023.<ref name="cardiff.ac.uk">{{Cite web |url=http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/news/articles/new-vice-chancellor-for-cardiff-university-7013.html |title=News Centre - New Vice-Chancellor for Cardiff University |access-date=2013-12-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131213122209/http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/news/articles/new-vice-chancellor-for-cardiff-university-7013.html |archive-date=2013-12-13 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
==Education==
Riordan obtained his PhD from the University of Manchester in 1986.<ref name="ncl.ac.uk">{{Cite web |url=http://www.ncl.ac.uk/press.office/newslink/item/1173272911 |title=NewsLink - Press Office - Newcastle University |access-date=2013-12-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131212202910/http://www.ncl.ac.uk/press.office/newslink/item/1173272911 |archive-date=2013-12-12 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
==Career==
Riordan taught English as a foreign language at Julius-Maximilians-Universitat Wurzburg in Germany (1982–84). He was Lecturer, then Senior Lecturer in German at Swansea University from 1986 to 1998.
He became Professor of German at Newcastle University in 1998, later being appointed Pro Vice-Chancellor and Provost of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in August 2005.<ref name="ncl.ac.uk"/>
In October 2007, he took up the post of Vice-Chancellor at the University of Essex.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.essex.ac.uk/wyvern/Archive/2007-03/people.htm |title=Wyvern : People : March 2007 |access-date=2013-12-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131212223959/http://www.essex.ac.uk/wyvern/Archive/2007-03/people.htm |archive-date=2013-12-12 |url-status=dead }}</ref> On 1 September 2012, he became Vice-Chancellor of Cardiff University.<ref name="cardiff.ac.uk"/>
In 2013, he was elected a Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wales |first=The Learned Society of |title=Colin Riordan |url=https://www.learnedsociety.wales/fellow/colin-riordan/ |access-date=2023-08-31 |website=The Learned Society of Wales |language=en-US}}</ref>
In 2015, under his purview as Vice-Chancellor, Riordan announced that Cardiff University would launch five new flagship research centres, each focusing on a world issue. These include resolving chronic diseases; the scarcity of water; the prevention of crime; studying big data; and creating smarter energy systems.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-south-east-wales-34384246 |title= Cardiff University research centres to tackle major world issues |work= BBC News |date= 29 September 2015 |access-date= 5 October 2015}}</ref>
Riordan was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2023 New Year Honours for services to higher education.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=63918|supp=y|page=N10|date=31 December 2022}}</ref>
It was announced in January 2023 that Riordan would step down as Vice-chancellor of Cardiff University, with his successor Wendy Larner taking up the role from the following academic year.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wightwick |first=Abbie |date=2023-01-31 |title=Head of Cardiff University leaves £289,275 a year job |url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/education/cardiff-university-vice-chancellor-professor-26118913 |access-date=2026-01-24 |website=Wales Online |language=en}}</ref>
In February 2024, Riordan was announced as the next chief executive of the Association of Commonwealth Universities, an organisation that represents over 400 universities within the Commonwealth of Nations.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Professor Colin Riordan CBE appointed as the ACU's next Secretary General and Chief Executive |url=https://www.acu.ac.uk/news/colin-riordan-appointment/ |access-date=2026-01-24 |website=www.acu.ac.uk |language=en-GB}}</ref> In the same year, Riordan was also appointed as a lay council member of Newcastle University, his former institution.<ref>{{Cite web |date=8 July 2024 |title=Minutes of Newcastle University Council Meeting (8 July 2024) |url=https://www.ncl.ac.uk/mediav8/executive-and-governance-office/files/Cmins8Jul24FINAL.pdf |access-date=24 January 2026 |website=Newcastle University |pages=7–8}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Colin Riordan {{!}} Executive and Governance Office {{!}} Newcastle University |url=https://www.ncl.ac.uk/executive/about/executive-staff/colin-riordan/ |access-date=2026-01-24 |website=www.ncl.ac.uk}}</ref>
===Controversies=== {{See also|2013 United Kingdom higher education strike|2018–2023 United Kingdom higher education strikes}} Riordan's tenure at Cardiff University was marked by challenging industrial relations, with multiple rounds of strikes called by staff unions due to issues over pay, pension, and working conditions.
In December 2013, members across three staff unions on campus, University and College Union (UCU), Unison, and Unite, took part in a strike action over the university's pay offer, described by some staff members as "poverty wages". The university was criticised for only offering ordinary staff a 1% pay rise while senior managers had their wages raised by 8%.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2013-12-03 |title=Cardiff University lecturers walk out in pay protest |url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/cardiff-university-lecturers-pay-protest-6366141 |access-date=2026-01-24 |website=Wales Online |language=en}}</ref>
In February 2018, another round of industrial action was called by the UCU due to disputes over the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) pension scheme. UCU members opposed the proposed changes to the USS pension at the time, which would put academics' pension fund in a more volatile position compared to previously.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2018-02-22 |title=University lecturers held strike over pension deadlock |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-43144080 |access-date=2026-01-24 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}}</ref> The same pension dispute led to a further round of strike in November 2019 - the second time in two years.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wightwick |first=Abbie |date=2019-11-06 |title=University staff will strike for eight days later this month |url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/education/cardiff-university-strike-ucu-bangor-17204649 |access-date=2026-01-24 |website=Wales Online |language=en}}</ref> The 2019 strike also cited disputes over salaries, unreasonable workloads, precarious employments (especially by early career academics and doctoral students), and inequalities in salaries such as the gender pay gap.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |date=25 November 2019 |title=Welsh universities strike over pensions and pay |url=https://www.itv.com/news/wales/2019-11-25/welsh-universities-strike-over-pensions-and-pay |access-date=24 January 2026 |work=ITV News}}</ref> These disputes continued into 2020, with further pickets between February and March.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wightwick |first=Abbie |date=2020-02-04 |title=University staff in Wales are going on strike again - this time for 14 days |url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/education/cardiff-bangor-university-strike-ucu-17684846 |access-date=2026-01-24 |website=Wales Online |language=en}}</ref> As universities across the UK face financial challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic,<ref>{{Cite news |date=2020-04-29 |title=Coronavirus: Cardiff University 'could lose £110m in income' |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-52479007 |access-date=2026-01-24 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}}</ref> industrial relations at Cardiff University under Riordan's leadership remained tense, with staff voting in favour of striking and other types of industrial actions several more times up until the very end of Riordan's tenure in 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-05-20 |title=Cardiff University industrial action: Here's what you need to know |url=https://archive.thetab.com/uk/cardiff/2022/05/20/cardiff-university-industrial-action-heres-what-you-need-to-know-61747 |access-date=2026-01-24 |website=Cardiff University |language=en-GB}}</ref>
Riordan's leadership during these strike actions were criticised by union members as well as the press. While staff and their union argued that academics and other workers face significant real term pay cuts,<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> Riordan's high salary was the subject of much criticism, with Wales Online consistently listing him among the highest earners in Wales.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Barry |first=Sion |date=2015-12-28 |title=The big earners in Wales who take home more than Prime Minister David Cameron |url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/business/business-news/big-earners-wales-who-take-10657794 |access-date=2026-01-24 |website=Wales Online |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Evans |first=Gareth |date=2014-04-09 |title=Outrage as universities in Wales told: 'Justify six-figure vice-chancellor pay' |url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/outrage-universities-wales-pay-staff-6937493 |access-date=2026-01-24 |website=Wales Online |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Clements |first=Laura |date=2023-03-05 |title=The highest-paid public sector bosses in Wales |url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/wales-public-sector-rich-list-26293907 |access-date=2026-01-24 |website=Wales Online |language=en}}</ref> Similarly, Riordan's expenses were under scrutiny during this time. His reported expenses of ''"£26,000 on oversea trips in five months"'' (according to The Tab) and ''"£21k on air fares and £6k on hotels"'' (according to Wales Online) were deemed unjustifiable, especially in light of Riordan's previous comments highlight his concerns over Cardiff University's financial position.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mulford |first=Joshua |date=2025-01-29 |title=Cardiff University's former vice-chancellor spent £26,000 on oversea trips in five months |url=https://thetab.com/2025/01/29/cardiff-universitys-former-vice-chancellor-spent-26000-on-oversea-trips-in-five-months |access-date=2026-01-24 |website=The Tab |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Evans |first=Gareth |date=2015-03-16 |title=Anger as Wales' vice-chancellors spend £21k on air fares and £6k on hotels |url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/anger-wales-vice-chancellors-spend-21k-8845561 |access-date=2026-01-24 |website=Wales Online |language=en}}</ref> Riordan's high salary and expense bills were a marked contrast to the financial precarities faced by his employees on strike over the years.
Under Riordan's leadership, Cardiff University was also condemned for punitive actions against striking staff members. In particular, staff who took part in the 2023 marking and assessment boycott (a form of industrial actions) were threatened with a 50-100% pay cut.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pal |first=Adwitiya |date=2023-04-23 |title=“Bullying Behaviour” - Cardiff University Email Threatens Union Members With Full Pay Deductions - |url=https://voice.cymru/bullying-behaviour-cardiff-university-email-threatens-union-members-with-full-pay-deductions/ |access-date=2026-01-24 |language=en-US}}</ref> This move was condemned by Professor Tom Bartlett, who called the pay deduction "ethically questionable" in his letter of resignation from his honorary professorship at the university, addressed to Riordan himself.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nixon |first=Sophie |date=2023-08-13 |title=Honorary Cardiff University Professor resigns due to university's handling of industrial action |url=https://thetab.com/2023/08/13/honorary-cardiff-university-professor-resigns-due-to-universitys-handling-of-industrial-action |access-date=2026-01-24 |website=The Tab |language=en-US}}</ref>
==Research and publications==
He has published on post-war German literature and culture,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://eprint.ncl.ac.uk/author_pubs.aspx?author_id=74751|title = Newcastle University ePrints}}</ref> including editing books on the writers Jurek Becker, Uwe Johnson and Peter Schneider.<ref>{{Cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TxsNAQAAIAAJ |title = German Writers and the Cold War 1945-61|isbn = 9780719026621|last1 = Williams|first1 = Rhys W.|last2 = Parker|first2 = Stephen|last3 = Peitsch|first3 = Helmut|last4 = Riordan|first4 = Colin|year = 1992| publisher=Manchester University Press }}</ref>
==Personal life==
In November 2017, shortly after missing Bisexual Visibility Day, Riordan came out as bisexual in a monthly email to staff.<ref name="bbc.co.uk">{{cite news|title=Cardiff Uni boss: 'Why I told colleagues I'm bisexual'|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-41946549|accessdate=21 November 2017|publisher=BBC}}</ref> The BBC quoted him as saying, "Only a few vice chancellors have spoken out about being gay or lesbian and none about being bi, as far as I'm aware."<ref name="bbc.co.uk"/> He has two daughters from a former marriage.<ref>{{cite web|title=£288k-a-year university boss bravely comes out as bisexual in email to all staff to help those feeling 'invisible'|url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/288k-year-university-boss-bravely-11552377|website=Mirror Online|date=20 November 2017|accessdate=21 November 2017}}</ref>
==Memberships==
* Vice-president and board member of Universities UK<ref name="universitiesuk">{{cite web |url=http://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/aboutus/OurOrganisation/Pages/UKBoard.aspx |title= UK Board |website=Universities UK |accessdate=2014-02-08 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150716015925/http://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/aboutus/OurOrganisation/Pages/UKBoard.aspx |archivedate=2015-07-16 }}</ref> * Board member of the Leadership Foundation for Higher Education<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lfhe.ac.uk/en/general/board.cfm|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20190820022017/http://www.lfhe.ac.uk/en/general/board.cfm |archivedate=2019-08-20|title=Board|website= Leadership Foundation for Higher Education}}</ref> * Trustee, the Edge Foundation<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.edge.co.uk/about-edge/our-people |title=Edge |accessdate=2012-05-18 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120501083155/http://www.edge.co.uk/about-edge/our-people |archivedate=2012-05-01 }}</ref> * Member of UK NARIC Advisory Council<ref>{{Cite web | title=NARIC - UK NARIC Advisory Council | url=http://ecctis.co.uk/naric/Advisory%20Council/Advisory%20Council.aspx | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121016085733/http://ecctis.co.uk/naric/Advisory%20Council/Advisory%20Council.aspx | access-date=2025-02-23 | archive-date=2012-10-16}}</ref> * Member of UCAS board of trustees<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ucas.com/about-us/inside-ucas/ucas-board-executive/meet-ucas-board|title = Board of Trustees|date = 6 October 2014}}</ref> * Board member of the Equality Challenge Unit<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ecu.ac.uk/about-us/board-of-directors/board-members |title=Board members — Equality Challenge Unit (ECU) |accessdate=2013-12-10 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131213053410/http://www.ecu.ac.uk/about-us/board-of-directors/board-members |archivedate=2013-12-13 }}</ref> * Chair, Universities UK International (UUKi)<ref name="International Education Council">{{Cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/policy-advisory-groups/international-education-council|title=International Education Council}}</ref> * Member of the International Education Council sponsored by the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills<ref name="International Education Council"/> * Chair of the International Policy Network of Universities UK<ref name="universitiesuk"/>
In 2013 he became chair of Higher Education Wales, the body which represents the interests of Higher Education Institutions in Wales.
== Bibliography == Riordan, Colin. 1989. ''[https://www.mhra.org.uk/publications/td-28 The Ethics of Narration: Uwe Johnson's Novels from Ingrid Babendererde to Jahrestage]'', MHRA Texts and Dissertations, 28 (MHRA)
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{S-start}} {{s-aca}} {{Succession box | title = Vice-Chancellor of the University of Essex | years = 2007–2012 | before = Sir Ivor Crewe | after = Anthony Forster }}
{{Succession box | title = Vice-Chancellor of Cardiff University | years = 2012–2023 | before = David Grant | after = Wendy Larner }} {{S-end}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Riordan, Colin Thomas}} Category:Living people Category:1959 births Category:Linguists from the United Kingdom Category:Alumni of the University of Manchester Category:Academics of Cardiff University Category:Academics of Swansea University Category:Academics of Newcastle University Category:Academics of the University of Essex Category:British bisexual men Category:Academics from Cardiff Category:Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Category:Fellows of the Learned Society of Wales Category:LGBTQ academics Category:British LGBTQ academics Category:Bisexual academics Category:Vice-Chancellors of Cardiff University