Released: 23.09.09

Professor Noble has just started as Principal of UCP Marjon.  She took over this month from Professor David Baker, who ended his period as Principal in July.

It means that, with Viv Gillespie as Principal of City College Plymouth, Lyn Staley Brookes Principal of Plymouth College of Art, and Professor Wendy Purcell as Chief Executive and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Plymouth, women are on top in the city’s higher education establishments.

But, to Professor Noble, that just isn’t an issue. She said: “Gender didn’t matter– the best people for the jobs have been chosen in Plymouth.”

Professor Noble was born in Leeds and grew up in Reading as a girl. She studied for a geography and history degree at the University of Aberystwyth before completing her PhD in geography at the University of Hull. She was later a lecturer in geography at the University of Humberside and then became a director of lifelong learning at the University of Teeside. Her final position before UCP Marjon was as Pro Vice-Chancellor for learning and quality at the University of Greenwich. But she said she came to UCP Marjon this month, drawn to the community spirit and engagement of the institution which has a ‘great reputation’ in areas including education, sports, health and humanities.

She also, as a geographer, loves the South West, noting that ‘UCP Marjon is in a beautiful part of the world’.  The move also means she will be closer to family who live in Devon. 

Professor Noble has more than 20 years’ experience in higher education. She is now responsible for managing UCP Marjon’s strategic development and through the work of her new colleagues will be engaged in such areas as learning and teaching, student experience, employability, widening participation and collaborative educational partnerships in the UK and internationally.

Professor Noble believes this is an exciting time to be Principal of UCP Marjon.  The Institution is investing in its future with a new £20 million estates development project.  The development project will include accommodation refurbishments, a new sports hall which opened this week, a new gym which is being built this year to open next April, and a new reception and entrance – as well as ongoing swimming pool refurbishments. Professor Noble said: “Looking forward, these developments are not only for the benefit of our own students and staff, but will be accessible to all people and is for the benefit of our wider community. 

“We have ambitions to grow. There have been constraints this year due to the Government’s cap on student numbers, but we work well with businesses and international partners so we want to grow in the future.

“I’m very pleased to be here. It’s a great place to study and there is a strong community feel here.“I’m looking forward to getting to know Plymouth and working with partners in the city and beyond.”