Professor Sir Deian Hopkin
PhD Hon DLitt LlD DUniv FRHistS FRSA FCGI

Born in Llanelli and educated at Ysgol Gymraeg Dewi Sant, Llandovery College and Aberystwyth University, Deian is a historian of the Labour and trade union movement and of the use of new technologies in history and founding editor of Llafur, The Journal of Welsh People’s History. After 25 years in the History Department at Aberystwyth he was Dean of Human Sciences and Vice-Provost at London Guildhall University and then Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of London South Bank University.

Over the years he has served on many public and advisory bodies, university and colleges boards, trusts and charities and among a number of current roles he is a trustee of the Council for Academics at Risk (CARA) and the Worshipful Company of Educators Trust in the City of London, serves on the Higher Education Commission, and works in consultancy and broadcasting.

He was President of the National Library of Wales from 2011 to 2015 and, until 2021, Expert Adviser to the First Minister of Wales and Chair of Wales Remembers 1914-18. A Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, the RSA, City and Guilds and CIBSE he has received honorary degrees from six universities including London, McGill and the Open University and the First Minister’s Special St David Award in 2019. In 2009 he was knighted for services to higher education and to skills in the UK.

He gave the Sir T H Parry-Williams Memorial Lecture in 2000.