ABERYSTWYTH University’s vice-chancellor has announced plans to step down in 2016.

Prof McMahon, who was appointed in 2011 on a five-year contract, came under fire with two petitions calling for her resignation as students numbers fell by 25 per cent and the institution suffered an alarming slide down league tables.After being rated the top university in Wales and in the top 10 in the UK for student satisfaction in 2010, by last year Aberystwyth university had slipped into the bottom 20 of UK universities and was rated the worst in Wales.A petition calling for her resignation set up by disgruntled staff who warned of a “dictatorship” at the university where staff morale was “at rock bottom”, has attracted nearly 2,000 signatures.There was also criticism over the university’s handling of the historic halls of Pantycelyn.Prof McMahon said the university was “turning a corner” when in the most recent league tables, student satisfaction levelled off, staying the same as last year, and when the university rose up to 10 places in league tables, including the world university rankings where it jumped 50 places.

Professor McMahon said: “After a great deal of thought I have decided not to seek renewal of my contract at the end of my five year term. I am immensely proud of the work I have done with so many exceptional people in setting Aberystwyth University securely on the path to future sustainability. It has been and continues to be a pleasure and a privilege to serve and lead this very special University, to work through the difficulties we have had to confront, but even more importantly, to encourage everyone to celebrate our many successes.

“There have been a lot of those successes lately, and I therefore feel very confident that the University is now firmly on the right track, making this the right time for someone else to come in and lead the next phase, and allowing me to think about my own priorities and next opportunities.

“I will continue to be Vice-Chancellor until the end of July, but I am making this announcement now to allow for an orderly handover and for succession planning. In terms of the handover, the Chancellor and I have agreed that I will focus from February onwards on outward-facing aspects of the VC role, and I am looking forward to prioritising a range of key projects including development and alumni work.”

The Chancellor of Aberystwyth University, Sir Emyr Jones-Parry said, “I am deeply grateful to the Vice – Chancellor for her positive contributions to Aberystwyth University over these past years, and for her consideration in giving early notice of her intentions so we can ensure the best possible handover. Personally, and on behalf of the Council, I wish her every success in the future.

“During her time at Aberystwyth, the Vice-Chancellor demonstrated quickly an ability to cope well with the rapid changes needed in Aberystwyth against a difficult external environment. This included a restructuring of the academic operations of the University into Institutes to allow devolution of leadership and financial responsibility; and much enhanced transparency of information flow to Council.

“Under her leadership, the University has adopted an ambitious Strategic Plan with wide ownership within the University and developed a vision for investment in the Estate, and for improved recognition and reward for teaching as well as research. These strategies are now leading to a recovery in the University’s position in the university sector league tables. Indeed, recent announcements on the development of the Teaching Excellence Framework have shown April’s leadership on re-valuing teaching to be prescient – alongside a very strong performance in REF2014, this positions the University well for future success.

“We have agreed that, to allow the University to make best use of the Vice-Chancellor’s talents and expertise during the time she is still with us, she will be concentrating on fulfilling external commitments, nationally and internationally, during the spring of 2016. To allow her to do so, and to provide her with the necessary flexibility, we must also ensure that internal duties are covered. Therefore the Council will move to appoint an Acting VC for that internal work from 1 February 2016, and establish a Selection Committee to seek a new Vice-Chancellor to join us from 1 August 2016 or as soon as possible thereafter.”