Brenda Gourley
Encyclopedia
Professor Brenda Gourley (born December 1, 1943) was the previous Vice-Chancellor of the Open University
, leaving office on 30 September 2009.
and was previously Vice-Chancellor of the University of Natal
, South Africa
. Her appointment at Natal in 1994 saw her become South Africa's first female
Vice-Chancellor. She was appointed as the fourth Vice-Chancellor of the Open University
in 2002.
She is the Chair of the Association of Commonwealth Universities
Council.
Open University
The Open University is a distance learning and research university founded by Royal Charter in the United Kingdom...
, leaving office on 30 September 2009.
Background
Prof Gourley is a qualified Chartered AccountantChartered Accountant
Chartered Accountants were the first accountants to form a professional body, initially established in Britain in 1854. The Edinburgh Society of Accountants , the Glasgow Institute of Accountants and Actuaries and the Aberdeen Society of Accountants were each granted a royal charter almost from...
and was previously Vice-Chancellor of the University of Natal
University of Natal
The University of Natal was a university in Natal, and later KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa, that is now part of the University of KwaZulu-Natal. It was founded in 1910 as the Natal University College in Pietermaritzburg, and expanded to include a campus in Durban in 1931. In 1947, the university...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. Her appointment at Natal in 1994 saw her become South Africa's first female
Female
Female is the sex of an organism, or a part of an organism, which produces non-mobile ova .- Defining characteristics :The ova are defined as the larger gametes in a heterogamous reproduction system, while the smaller, usually motile gamete, the spermatozoon, is produced by the male...
Vice-Chancellor. She was appointed as the fourth Vice-Chancellor of the Open University
Open University
The Open University is a distance learning and research university founded by Royal Charter in the United Kingdom...
in 2002.
She is the Chair of the Association of Commonwealth Universities
Association of Commonwealth Universities
The Association of Commonwealth Universities represents over 480 universities from Commonwealth countries.- History :In 1912, the University of London took the initiative to assemble 53 representatives of universities in London to hold a Congress of Universities of the Empire...
Council.