James Lusty, who has died of cancer aged 56, was one of the few university heads in Britain to have risen to that position from a non-privileged background. He became principal of the then University of Wales College, Newport, in 2002 and oversaw its transition to university status in 2004, becoming its first vice-chancellor. In 1987 he was appointed head of chemistry at the then Lancashire Polytechnic in Preston and was made professor in 1991. In 1995 he became pro vice-chancellor, eventually assuming responsibility for teaching, learning and research.