Mary Oliver took up the role of Vice Principal (Academic) at Rose Bruford College in 2021. Mary Oliver came to Rose Bruford from her role as Professor and Dean at the Arts University Bournemouth where she had been leading the School of Media and Performance and helped take the university to its recent success as the top specialist art and design university in the UK.
A pioneer of immersive and digital performance as writer, performer and producer, her extensive portfolio of original devised theatre work has been performed internationally. Mary Oliver’s previous academic posts include Head of Media at Manchester Metropolitan University, where she was instrumental in the creation of the new School of Digital Arts at the Manchester School of Art. She was awarded a National Teaching Fellowship in 2013 for Innovative Pedagogy in the teaching of contemporary performance and has led learning and research developments across a range of subject disciplines relevant to Rose Bruford’s current portfolio.
A key part of Mary’s academic leadership has been to develop strong industry partnerships; future-proofing learning to ensure graduates are gaining skills that are shaping the future of the creative sector. A drive for innovation, particularly in the digital space, are also key elements of the training currently being undertaken at Rose Bruford College.