The University of Edinburgh’s vice-chancellor Peter Mathieson is to step down in 2028.

Announcing his intention not to seek a third term of office, Mathieson told a meeting of Edinburgh’s governing body on 5 October that he would leave the Russell Group university in early 2028 when he has completed 10 years in office.

Mathieson, a professor in renal medicine, joined in February 2018 from the University of Hong Kong where he was vice-chancellor during pro-democracy protests.

His announcement comes as staff begin a five-week strike over a long-running dispute over budget cuts and redundancies, with the University and College Union warning up to 1,800 job are at risk.

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Edinburgh has already axed 90 programmes in a bid to save £140 million from the university’s annual budget, including £90 million earmarked for salary savings.

Speaking to staff, Mathieson said it had been an “immense privilege to lead two of the world’s great universities”.

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“Every decision that I have made, and those of the executive teams I have led, have always kept the university’s best interests uppermost. We have always acted in good faith, believing we were doing the right things, which are very rarely the easiest things,” he said.

Mathieson, who was knighted in the 2023 New Years Honours list for services to higher education, added he was “keenly aware that higher education is at a pivotal moment”.

“At Edinburgh, we are making the tough decisions necessary to restore our university to financial sustainability and resilience for the years ahead. There will be plenty of time for me to thank colleagues and reflect on my time here in due course,” he said.

“For now, I am fully focused on our task at hand, giving it my full attention until the last day of my tenure in around 16 months’ time,” he continued.

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jack.grove@timeshighereducation.com