CIPR appoints Professor Susan Kinnear as new Chair of Examiners
The Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) is pleased to announce that Professor Susan Kinnear Chart.PR FCIPR has been appointed as the Institute's new Chair of Examiners.
Susan takes over from Ruth Matthews who is retiring after more than 11 years in the role and is responsible for maintaining standards across the different CIPR qualifications delivered in the UK and overseas by CIPR Accredited Teaching Centres (ATCs). The Chair of Examiners has a strategic advisory role to ensure that CIPR Awarding Body assessment processes and course regulations are fit for purpose including responsibility for developing assessment processes, course regulation and policy to ensure alignment with best practice in the area of Awarding Body services.
Susan is Deputy Vice-Principal (Science, Engineering and Business) at the University of Dundee and a Chartered Practitioner and Fellow of the CIPR. Her recruitment is for an initial three-year term and her tenure will begin in June 2026.
We're delighted to have someone as experienced and respected as Susan in such an important role for the CIPR. Susan's appointment has come at a perfect time as our qualifications undergo a syllabus review to ensure they are up-to-date for an evolving modern practice. We look forward to working with her to ensure these are delivered in line with our commitment to high professional standards and providing a professional development experience that is aligned to evolving employer expectations. I would also like to thank Ruth, our outgoing chair, for her many years of leadership and service in ensuring the integrity of our qualifications.
I am delighted to have been offered this role and hope to use my experience to support students and teaching centres delivering the CIPR’s industry-leading suite of professional qualifications. I look forward to contributing to the continued success of the portfolio as it evolves in response to the changing landscape of public relations and communications practice.
About the Chartered Institute of Public Relations
Founded in 1948, the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) is the world's only Royal Chartered professional body for public relations practitioners with over 11,000 members.
The CIPR advances professionalism in public relations by making its members accountable to their employers and the public through a code of conduct and searchable public register, setting standards through training, qualifications, awards and the production of best practice and skills guidance, facilitating Continuing Professional Development (CPD), and awarding Chartered Public Relations Practitioner status (Chart.PR).