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Johnny Rich

ResearchPlus has appointed Johnny Rich as its first ever Director, taking up the post on 1 August 2026. 
 
ResearchPlus is a recently formed collaborative of ten leading research-focused universities - including Sussex - which span the UK’s cities and regions, combining world-class research with a strong commitment to civic engagement, innovation, and social mobility.  
 
Vice-Chancellor of Sussex, Professor Sasha Roseneil, serves as one of its co-chairs alongside Professor Andrew Jones of Brunel University of London. 
 
Professor Roseneil welcomed the appointment, saying: "Johnny’s extensive experience in higher education policy will be a huge asset to ResearchPlus, as we work to advance understanding of the vital role of ResearchPlus universities in the UK's research and innovation system, and in delivering research-informed education and advanced skills for the public good. Success for ResearchPlus means success for Sussex, as the collaborative is working to give visibility and profile to universities that constitute a critical element of the UK’s research and innovation system, and that deliver excellent research-informed education and advanced skills." 
 
Johnny brings more than 30 years of higher education policy experience to the role. He joins from concurrent positions as Chief Executive of both the Engineering Professors' Council, and Push, the outreach organisation he founded in 1992. 
 
A respected voice in the sector, Johnny has written extensively on higher education, including a widely cited 2015 Higher Education Policy Institute paper on graduate employability and a proposal for a graduate employer contribution model for HE funding. 
 
As Director, Johnny will lead ResearchPlus's strategy and day-to-day operations, engaging with government, policymakers, regulators, and sector bodies on behalf of partner universities. 
 
ResearchPlus plans to grow its membership over time, bringing in further research-focused universities with similar profiles and missions.