Chrisina Jayne

In a domain traditionally dominated by men, Chrisina has broken barriers by holding senior leadership positions across multiple UK universities

Part of the Tech Women Celebration 50 – a curated list of some of the most inspirational women working at all levels of tech

Professor Chrisina Jayne is the Dean of the School of Computing & Digital Technologies at Teesside University (TU) and Dean of TU London.

Chrisina is a highly skilled and experienced university manager with over 15 years of leadership experience within the UK higher education sector, including Oxford Brookes University, Robert Gordon University, and Coventry University. Her research is in the areas of developing and applying novel methods for artificial neural networks, machine learning, and artificial intelligence. She authored over 90 peer-reviewed papers in international journals and at leading conferences.

Chrisina is a Fellow of the British Computer Society (BCS) CITP and Senior Fellow of the UK Higher Education Academy. She was awarded a UK National Teaching Fellowship in 2009 in recognition of excellence in learning and teaching. Chrisina has chaired numerous committees of neural network-related conferences. She served as the elected President of the International Neural Network Society (INNS) 2021-2022.

Chrisina serves at present in the BCS Council, BCS Academic Accreditation Committee, and BCS Academy of Computing Board. Chrisina is deeply passionate about gender equality, social inclusion, and diversity.

What does the nominee consider to be her biggest achievement to date?

Professor Jayne has a proven track record of strategic leadership, having held roles such as Dean of the School of Computing, Engineering, and Digital Technologies (SCEDT) at Teesside University (TU), Head of School at Robert Gordon University and Oxford Brookes University, and Head of Department at Coventry University.

She has efficiently managed resources, implemented new academic delivery models, embedded employability, enterprise, internationalisation, and sustainability into the curriculum to enhance student success and cultivated supportive educational environments. She has successfully led the setup of the new TU campus operation in London as Dean and Director. The campus opened in September 2023, it offers undergraduate and postgraduate courses in Computer Science, Games, Animation, and Business, and it is growing at pace.

As a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and a Chartered IT Professional Fellow of the British Computer Society (BCS), she has demonstrated a commitment to driving innovation and impact in education. Her developments in learning and teaching led to a UK National Teaching Fellowship award in 2009. This was awarded for excellence in learning and teaching, including innovation and creativity in leading the design and development of computing programmes, and integration of academic study with the latest technological developments.

Chrisina's recent successful bids (£800,000) for setting up new conversion master courses in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence and developing short courses in areas such as Digital Innovation, Healthcare, and NetZero further illustrate her dedication to innovation.

Chrisina is committed to promoting equality, diversity, and inclusion, and fostering a positive, inclusive, and collaborative environment where both students and staff are actively encouraged to participate and fulfil their potential. She has led various initiatives aimed at promoting Computing, Engineering, and Digital Technologies to women, including mentoring female researchers, hosting girls' computing competitions, organising targeted networking, and delivering educational activities. Under her leadership, SCEDT was awarded the Athena Swan Bronze award, recognising the commitment to gender equality and the Athena Swan Principles.

What is the most significant challenge the nominee has overcome?

In a field traditionally underrepresented by women, Professor Jayne has been a proactive advocate for gender equality. As Chair of Teesside University's Gender Focus Group, she has led initiatives promoting inclusive policies, flexible working arrangements, and support for staff and students who identify as gender-diverse. Her involvement in the North East Women in Engineering and Computing Network further underscores her commitment to supporting women in STEM fields. Succeeding as a leader in a traditionally male-dominated field requires resilience, strategic insight, and a commitment to driving change. It also requires navigating systemic barriers and consistently demonstrating leadership excellence. It provides powerful opportunities to reshape the narrative and inspire change.

Tell us something about the nominee that people would find surprising

Beginning her academic journey with a PhD in Applied Mathematics from Sofia University, Bulgaria, Professor Jayne made a significant shift into the field of artificial intelligence. She has since authored over 90 peer-reviewed papers in areas such as neural networks and machine learning, demonstrating a remarkable adaptability and breadth of expertise.

In a domain traditionally dominated by men, Professor Jayne has broken barriers by holding senior leadership positions across multiple UK universities.

Beyond her institutional roles, Professor Jayne has held prominent positions in international AI research communities. She served as President of the International Neural Network Society (INNS) from 2021 to 2022 and continues to contribute as Vice President for Conferences and Governor-at-Large. Her leadership in organising major conferences like the International Joint Conference on Neural Networks (IJCNN) underscores her global impact in the field.