THE first female principal of a Scottish university is to retire next June after a decade in the post.
Professor Dame Joan Stringer, 64, will step down as head of Edinburgh Napier University.
During her tenure, the educational reputation and financial standing of the university has been strengthened as well as its international links.
Today, the university has almost 18,000 students, of which around 30% are international students studying either in Edinburgh or undertaking courses delivered with the university's partners overseas.
Her tenure has not been without controversy and she was criticised recently for her handling of the sale of the university's Craighouse campus to make way for houses.
Dame Joan said: "The last decade has been the most fulfilling of my professional life and I pay tribute to my outstanding team – present and past – for working so hard to deliver an outstanding experience for our students."
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