The University of Buckingham has today (Wednesday 1 July) announced that Professor Lynette Ryals OBE will become its next Vice-Chancellor when she joins the University in the autumn.

Professor Ryals joins The University of Buckingham from Cranfield University, where she currently serves as Deputy-Vice-Chancellor for the Faculty of Business and Management and member of the University Executive. A highly respected leader in higher education, she brings extensive experience in academic leadership and institutional development.

Throughout her distinguished career, Professor Ryals has demonstrated a strong commitment to educational excellence, student success, and the development of new approaches to higher education. Across various roles at Cranfield University and MK:U, she established and led a distinctive undergraduate education offering in Milton Keynes, helping to create new pathways for students and strengthen connections between higher education and employers to support regional growth.

Professor Ryals will lead the University’s future strategy in its historic 50th anniversary year. She will build on Buckingham’s reputation for academic quality, personalised teaching and student-centred education by working closely with staff, students, alumni, and partners to strengthen the University’s impact, expand opportunities for students and reinforce Buckingham’s position as one of the UK’s most distinctive universities.

Her appointment marks another significant milestone for the institution, as she becomes Buckingham’s first female Vice-Chancellor.

Speaking on her appointment, Professor Ryals said:

“It is a great honour to be invited to lead such a unique and distinctive institution. I am excited about the opportunities for The University of Buckingham and am delighted to become part of it.

The University’s location in a vibrant town close to the centre of the Oxford to Cambridge growth corridor means that it can play a pivotal role in supporting growth and skills across the region. The staff, the students and the campus environment at The University of Buckingham are truly impressive.

Together, we will build on the University’s proud heritage of education innovation and excellent student experience, augmenting those strengths with the possibilities offered by new technologies in learning and teaching to forge an international reputation for an exceptional higher education experience and outstanding student outcomes.”

Commenting on the appointment, Chair of Council, Mark St John Qualter said:

“I am delighted to announce the appointment of Professor Lynette Ryals OBE as Vice-Chancellor of The University of Buckingham.

Professor Ryals brings a wealth of experience from across higher education, combining outstanding academic credentials with a proven track record of leadership, innovation and partnership. Her vision, energy and commitment to excellence make her exceptionally well placed to lead the University into its next phase of development.

As we mark fifty years, the questions facing higher education are sharper than they have ever been: how it is funded, how its value is demonstrated, and how it keeps pace with a world being reshaped by AI. Buckingham has never relied on doing things the way everyone else does, and that distinctiveness, paired with a genuine focus on students, is what has carried us this far. Professor Ryals understands this inheritance deeply and is genuinely committed to it: she sees our heritage not as something to preserve under glass, but as the foundation to build on. In her we have the right leader to take us into the next chapter, and I am confident it will be one of our strongest yet.

I want to pay particular tribute to David Cole, whose leadership as Interim Vice-Chancellor has steadied and strengthened the University at a pivotal moment. He has steered us with calm, care and real purpose, and Professor Ryals inherits an institution in better shape for it. My thanks also go to everyone involved in the recruitment process.

I know the entire Buckingham community will join me in warmly welcoming Professor Ryals to the University.”

Professor Ryals is a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and a Fellow of both the Society of Investment Professionals and the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport. Over a 29-year academic career at Cranfield University, Lynette has held a series of senior roles, including as Pro-Vice-Chancellor and CEO for MK:U, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Education, and as Director of Cranfield School of Management between 2017-2019. Before that, Lynette was the UK’s first Professor of Sales at Cranfield.

For media enquiries, please contact pressoffice@buckingham.ac.uk.

The Winter 2026 Computing Seminar Series brought together researchers, students, academics, and industry experts to showcase innovative research in Computing at University of Buckingham and explore emerging developments across the computing discipline.

Presentation by Isuri Gatamanna Arachchige, a PhD student

The series began with a presentation by Isuri Gatamanna Arachchige, a PhD student, titled “Early Alzheimer’s Disease Identification via Multi-Omics Integration and Functional Biomarker Discovery”. Isuri’s work focuses on innovative approaches for the early detection of Alzheimer’s disease through multi-omics data integration and functional biomarker discovery. The project aims to improve early diagnosis by integrating genomic and transcriptomic data using interpretable deep learning models, thereby reducing reliance on black-box predictions and improving transparency in clinical applications.

Presentation by Rashmi Perera, a PhD student

Rashmi Perera, also a PhD student, delivered a thought-provoking talk based on her ongoing research titled “Artificial Intelligence in Viva Voce Examinations”. Her work explores the potential role of AI in supporting viva voce examinations in higher education, with a particular focus on the PhD level. The study investigates whether large language models can generate viva questions comparable in quality to those produced by human examiners, as well as assess student responses effectively.

Presentation by Madara Dassanayake, a PhD student

Madara Dassanayake, a final-year PhD student, delivered a captivating presentation titled “A Digital Twin Framework for Short-Term Solar Energy Forecasting Using Game Engines”. She proposed using digital twins of photovoltaic systems within Unreal Engine 5 to forecast energy output. Rather than relying on machine-learning models trained on historical energy data, her framework adopts physics-based modelling alongside live weather data to forecast solar power generation in real time.

Presentation by Dr Tom Longshaw, Director of Research & Development at Zizo

Dr Tom Longshaw, Director of Research & Development at Zizo, delivered a talk titled “Classification in the Presence of Sparse Matches”. He explained that classification seeks to identify rules that can predict characteristics of data based on available information. However, when datasets are highly imbalanced, models may appear to perform well by correctly identifying the majority class while failing to detect smaller but more important classes. This can result in misleadingly high accuracy, sometimes as high as 99%, while still limiting the discovery of meaningful classification rules. He also discussed how subjective human data, weak labels, aggregation issues, and black-box models can further complicate classification tasks. His presentation highlighted the use of genetic algorithms, which are often more transparent, repeatable, and easier to justify than neural networks, which can behave as black boxes.

The final seminar of Winter 2026 was delivered by Ethan Caldeira, another PhD student, titled “Classification of Elevated Trait Anxiety from MRI Data”. His research focuses on using deep learning and neuroimaging to identify functional and structural brain patterns associated with mental health conditions, particularly anxiety. He outlined two research pipelines based on MRI and fMRI data, covering preprocessing, region-of-interest selection, model development, classification, and experimental evaluation.

The Winter 2026 Computing Seminar Series showcased the breadth and quality of research within the School of Computing at the University of Buckingham. By bringing together PhD researchers and industry professionals, the series fostered knowledge exchange, constructive feedback, and valuable discussion, helping to strengthen ongoing research and encourage future collaboration.

We’re delighted to announce that The University of Buckingham has been awarded multiple top ten positions in the Complete University Guide 2027 rankings, showcasing strong outcomes and student satisfaction.

The Complete University Guide is an independent platform that ranks universities across the UK annually, based on various factors such as subject areas, graduate prospects and continuation.

For overall Graduate Prospects, we have achieved the following:

• 10th for Graduate Prospects – Outcomes
• 2nd for Graduate Prospects – On Track

In Computing we have secured the following rankings:

• Joint 1st in Graduate Prospects – Outcomes
• Joint 5th in Graduate Prospects – On Track

In Business and Management we have achieved:

• 9th for Student Satisfaction
• Joint 9th for Graduate Prospects – On Track

David Cole, Interim Vice-Chancellor commented:

“These impressive rankings reflect our continuous commitment to both exceptional graduate outcomes and enhancing the student experience at Buckingham. We take great pride in this achievement while remaining focused on identifying new opportunities to improve.”

Want to find out more about Buckingham?

Join us at an Open Day and experience The University of Buckingham for yourself. Discover our beautiful riverside campus, meet our highly regarded academic community and chat to current students to learn what truly sets Buckingham apart from the crowd.

Bridging the gap between school-based study and real-world legal practice

Students attended from Oakgrove School, St Paul’s Catholic School, Hazeley Academy, and Shenley Brook End School, reflecting strong regional interest in legal education and careers. The event aimed to bridge the gap between school-based study and real-world legal practice by offering both academic and professional perspectives.

Immersive academic experience

The event began with an in-depth law taster tutorial delivered by Dr Gar Yein Ng, focusing on the British Constitution. The session introduced students to core legal principles, including the structure of the UK constitution, the role of public bodies, and how administrative decisions can be challenged.

Students were encouraged to think critically about the relationship between government power and individual rights, gaining firsthand experience of the analytical approach required in legal studies. The interactive nature of the session, delivered in the formal setting of the Moot Court, helped bring legal theory to life.

Insights from legal professionals

Following the academic session, students were divided into three breakout groups, each led by experienced legal professionals who provided practical insights into different areas of the legal sector.

• Dentons, a global law firm, delivered a session on “Life as a Paralegal”: Eden Willis and Megan Northover’s discussion offered students a realistic understanding of entry-level roles in law, day-to-day responsibilities, and career progression opportunities within large firms.
• David Rushmere, Employment Partner at Machins Solicitors LLP, focused on transferable skills for aspiring lawyers. His session highlighted the importance of communication, problem-solving, adaptability, and commercial awareness—skills that are critical not only in law but across professional environments.
• Thomas Boden, Head of Legal Services at Milton Keynes City Council, along with Tiffany Choong, Trainee Solicitor, provided an overview of legal work within a busy local authority. The talk shed light on the breadth of legal issues handled in the public sector, from governance and planning to employment and regulatory matters, offering students a broader perspective on legal careers beyond private practice.

LawFest Plus guest speakers Thomas Boden, MK City Council (left) and David Rushmere, Machins (right)

Specialist perspective on private client law

The event also featured a session from the team at Osborne Morris and Morgan: Emma Shotton, Senior Solicitor, introduced students to private client work. The presentation covered key aspects of medical negligence and personal injury litigation. OMM colleagues Katherine Bull and Krishnan Fatania discussed the more specialised field of the Court of Protection, which deals with decisions for individuals who lack mental capacity.

This session highlighted the human dimension of legal practice, demonstrating how lawyers support clients through sensitive and often complex personal circumstances.

Strengthening pathways into law

LawFest+ exemplifies Buckingham Law School’s commitment to widening participation and supporting aspiring lawyers at an early stage in their academic journey. By combining rigorous academic teaching with practical insights from experienced professionals, the event offered students a well-rounded introduction to legal qualification pathways.

Speaking about the event, Julie O’Shea, Lecturer in Clinical Legal Practice emphasised the importance of collaboration between schools and higher education institutions in creating meaningful opportunities for students. Jon Adamson highlighted the partnership with local sixth forms ensured that students could explore legal study in an accessible and engaging way.

The success of LawFest+ highlights the growing appetite among young people for careers in law and related fields. Designed as a smaller, more in-depth experience, LawFest+ provides keen A-level students with the opportunity to explore legal study and practice in greater detail, engaging directly with both academic teaching and legal professionals in an interactive setting. Events such as this not only demystify legal education but also equip students with the knowledge and confidence to take the next steps in their academic and professional journeys.

Buckingham Law School continues to build on this success with its flagship annual outreach event, LawFest, taking place on 16 September 2026. In contrast LawFest is a large-scale event welcoming over 250 Year 11 and Year 12 students to the Vinson Building. It offers a broad and engaging introduction to studying law, while fostering strong links between schools, higher education, and legal professionals—helping to inspire the next generation of lawyers.

The official opening of the Citizens Advice Bureau in Milton Keynes took place on Thursday 7 May, marked by a special visit from HRH The Princess Royal. The occasion provided an opportunity to celebrate a longstanding and impactful collaboration between The University of Buckingham Law School and Citizens Advice Milton Keynes, showcasing the vital role that clinical legal education plays in both student development and community support.

The event organised by Ben Thomas, Director of Citizens Advice Milton Keynes in conjunction with the office of His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire, The Countess Howe, DStJ, brought together key members of the Law School and clinic community, including Dean of Law, Professor Adolfo Paolini, and Julie O’Shea, Module Lead for the Citizens Advice Clinic. They were joined by clinic alumni Kamva Gcaza, Student Union President and Isabel Ritchie, LLM SQE 1 student, whose experiences reflect the success and reach of the programme.

HRH The Princess Royal showed a particular interest in how the clinic is embedded within the Law School’s curriculum. The Citizens Advice Clinic forms part of a Level 6 optional module for both full-time and part-time LLB students, contributing 30 academic credits towards their degree. This integration of practical experience with academic study exemplifies the Law School’s commitment to preparing students for professional legal practice.

Professor Paolini outlined the structure of the programme, explaining that the Law School supports the training of up to 20 student volunteers each year to act as assessors at the Milton Keynes Bureau. Students are supervised in clinic by Training & Volunteering Manager, Zach Eaton with Julie O’Shea, leading lectures and academic assessments, ensuring a robust framework of support and quality assurance.

Speaking at the event, Julie O’Shea highlighted the wide range of practical skills students develop through the clinic. These include client interviewing, case management, and the essential discipline of maintaining accurate and professional case notes. Such experiences are designed to mirror real-world legal practice, equipping students with both the technical competencies and professional values expected in the sector.

Clinic alumna Isabel Ritchie shared her personal journey, explaining how her experience at the clinic inspired her to pursue the LLM with SQE1 Preparation Programme. She emphasised that the clinic not only strengthened her legal skills but also instilled a deep appreciation for ethical practice and the responsibilities of regulated legal work, particularly in relation to conflicts of interest and client confidentiality.

Clinic alumnus and Student Union President Kamva Gcaza reflected on his experience in the Citizens Advice Clinic, noting its significant contribution to his professional development from being a law student to his current role in student leadership. He highlighted the programme as a valuable example of the partnership between the University and Citizens Advice Milton Keynes, providing students with essential real-world legal experience and practical insight into client-facing work.

HRH The Princess Royal was also keen to understand the broader impact of the clinic. It was noted that, over the past four years, the programme has attracted more than 40 student participants and supported up to 6,000 client calls. These figures underscore the dual benefit of the initiative—enhancing student employability while making a meaningful contribution to the local and wider Citizens Advice community.

The event also provided a valuable opportunity for networking, bringing together Citizens Advice Milton Keynes Trustees, community partners, and distinguished guests, including Buckingham LLB alumna Nikki Ross, the newly appointed High Sheriff of Buckinghamshire. The occasion fostered meaningful discussions around strengthening community engagement and expanding collaborative initiatives.

The opening of the Bureau stands as a testament to the success of collaborative partnerships between academia and community organisations. By combining academic rigour with hands-on experience, the Citizens Advice Clinic continues to empower students, support clients, and promote access to justice.

As the event concluded, there was a shared sense of pride in what has been achieved and optimism for the continued growth of the clinic. The visit by HRH The Princess Royal not only recognised this important work but also highlighted the value of practice-based legal education in shaping the next generation of legal professionals.

As part of the University’s 50th Anniversary celebrations, Adolfo Paolini, Dean of Law, was honoured to host a distinguished Masterclass Lecture delivered by Michael Beloff KC, entitled “But you can’t say that! – How free is speech on campus?”. The event welcomed an audience of over 60 attendees, including students, academic colleagues, members of the legal profession, and the wider community, and was further distinguished by the presence of the University Chancellor, Dame Mary Archer.

Held in the Vinson Building Auditorium, the lecture provided a timely and authoritative exploration of freedom of expression – one of the most enduring yet contested principles within modern legal systems. Drawing on his exceptional career at the Bar, Mr Beloff KC offered a rigorous analysis of the legal foundations of free speech, its necessary limits, and the increasing pressures it faces in today’s complex social and regulatory environment.

The occasion also carried particular historical and institutional significance. Michael Beloff KC follows in the distinguished academic tradition of his father, Professor Max Beloff, the eminent historian and legal scholar who served as Principal of University College Buckingham. Hosting the lecture during the University’s anniversary year provided a fitting opportunity to reflect on Professor Beloff’s enduring legacy and reaffirmed the University’s commitment to intellectual independence, academic excellence, and open debate.

Throughout the lecture, Mr Beloff encouraged critical reflection on the balance between protecting freedom of expression and addressing concerns such as harm, regulation, and public interest. His insights compellingly bridged legal theory and practice, illustrating how these challenges arise before the courts and within public life, and offering valuable perspectives for future lawyers, scholars, and policymakers.

Student Representative Dipanjali Samoo (Full-Time LLB) reflected on the impact of the lecture:

“What made the lecture particularly compelling was Mr Beloff’s ability to ground abstract legal principles in real-world scenarios that resonated deeply with his audience. He unpacked the tension between institutional duty, academic freedom, and the limits of lawful expression in a way that was both accessible and intellectually stimulating. Far from delivering a dry legal recitation, he engaged the room with wit, precision, and a genuine enthusiasm for debate that made every point land with impact.

Perhaps even more impressive was his approachability outside of the formal lecture setting. I am also most grateful for the opportunity the Law School extended to me to join Mr Beloff for dinner. That kind of access is rare, and I was very conscious of how fortunate I was to have it. What struck me most in that setting was just how approachable he was. He answered every question with real openness and generosity. It is the kind of encounter that genuinely stays with you.

I cannot thank the Law School enough for making this experience possible. It is exactly this kind of engagement, with world-class practitioners who remain committed to education and open discourse, that enriches university life and reminds us why these conversations matter.”

Following the lecture, Mr Beloff KC generously engaged with attendees during a book‑signing reception, providing an opportunity for further discussion and informal exchange. This added a personal and memorable dimension to an evening that celebrated both legal scholarship and the University’s rich intellectual heritage.

The Law School is deeply grateful to Mr Beloff KC for contributing his time and expertise to this landmark event. The Masterclass exemplified the University of Buckingham’s tradition of rigorous legal inquiry and meaningful engagement with the profession and stood as a highlight of our 50th Anniversary year.

Congratulations to Linaya Piyaratne and Dianah Naigah, both final year BSc (Hons) Computing (Artificial Intelligence and Robotics) students at Buckingham, who were selected to present their projects at the 19th Annual BCSWomen Lovelace Colloquium held at the University of Bath on 8-9 April 2026.

The Lovelace Colloquium is the UK’s leading national conference for women and non binary students in computing. Around 180 student poster presentations (selected from 280 abstract submissions) across undergraduate and master’s categories covering wide range of topics such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, healthcare technology, quantum computing, human computer interaction and digital ethics were included in this year’s colloquium.

Day one of the Lovelace Colloquium focused on first year and Master’s students presenting their work. It was a great opportunity to explore wide range of ideas and explore Bath city. The day ended with a social and Lovelace committee providing accommodation, food and even cake! Day two was when undergraduates presented the early results from their final year projects. It was an opportunity to explain the ideas and work behind the projects to fellow university students and hear fresh perspectives and questions that will further help to improve ongoing projects.

Inspiring keynotes were delivered by Sarah Winmill FRSA CITP CEng FBCS (President of BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT) and Edafe Onerhime (Enterprise Data Architect and Responsible AI specialist).

Linaya with her project: Multi-Label Classification of Behavioral Health Risks in NASA Astronaut Narratives: A Comparative NLP Approach

Supervised by Dr Maysson Ibrahim, Linaya’s project, “Multi-Label Classification of Behavioral Health Risks in NASA Astronaut Narratives: A Comparative NLP Approach”, focuses on building a multi-label classification system to detect behavioural health risks in NASA astronaut narratives.

She is comparing multiple approaches including rule-based baselines, traditional statistical ML models, SOTA transformer models (BERT) and domain adapted models (MentalBERT) to see which architecture best understands the stoic, technical language of astronauts.

Linaya says:

“This is a true passion project for me as it allows me to combine my background in psychology with my BSc in Computing with AI and Robotics, all while integrating my love for space!!”

Supervised by Dr Athar Ali, Dianah’s project, “Detecting Online Harm Without Silencing Voices: Bias Aware Cyberbullying Detection”, is a comparative study of a fine-tuned RoBERTa transformer and a Llama large language model for bias-aware cyberbullying detection.

Dianah with her project, titled: Detecting Online Harm Without Silencing Voices: Bias Aware Cyberbullying Detection

Dianah says:

“The attendees were genuinely engaged with the models, curious about my findings, and eager to see how far the project will go. Exploring Bath city center and enjoying the university’s wonderful hospitality were a lovely bonus to what was already a remarkable time.

I am deeply grateful to the School of Computing for bringing this opportunity to my attention as, without them, I would have never known of it.

To our lovely Dean Professor Harin for his constant support throughout the process, and most especially to my wonderful supervisor, Dr Athar Ali, whose guidance, encouragement, and belief in me from the very first abstract submission through to the final poster made this achievement possible.”

Reflecting on the overall experience, Linaya said:

“Being surrounded by so many driven, like-minded women in tech all sharing ideas, research and ambitions made the experience both motivating and unforgettable.

Incredibly grateful to Prof Harin for sharing this opportunity with us and to Dr May for her continuous guidance and support in bringing this project to life!”

Dianah adds:

“Being in a room full of women who share my passion for technology reminded me that I belong in this field and, that the work I do matters.”

We are absolutely delighted with our students’ success and incredibly proud to see them representing Buckingham on this prestigious stage.