Vivienne Stern took up the role of Universities UK (UUK) Chief Executive in September 2022.

Vivienne has over 25 years’ experience of working in Higher Education policy and politics at national and international level. She previously worked for the Chair of the Education Select Committee of the UK Parliament; as a policy specialist and then Head of Political Affairs for Universities UK; and most recently as the Director of Universities UK International (UUKi) which represents UK universities around the world.

She is a member of the UK Government's Soft Power Council; the Higher Educational Advisory Group; the Skills Advisory Group and the GREAT Private Sector Council. She is Deputy Chair of the Council for At Risk Academics and chairs it's Nominations and Governance Committee. She was awarded an MBE for Services to International Education in the New Years’ Honours List 2022.  In 2021 Vivienne received the European Association of International Educators’ “Vision and Leadership” award. 

  Vivienne is a graduate of the University of Cambridge, where she studied English Literature.