After working at the University of York for 37 years, Elizabeth Heaps retired in 2013. Her final post, from 2007-2013, was as Pro Vice Chancellor for Estates and Strategic Projects, where she was responsible for the £750 million Campus East expansion onto a green field site, and for the strategic development of the estate as a whole.
Elizabeth delivered the first phase of the 112 ha Campus East, consisting of a 600-bed residential college and four academic buildings along with a 10 hectare lake, landscaping, roads and services infrastructure, in 2010, followed by a further residential college, the York Sport Village complex and a Diamond Wood in Summer 2012. She also oversaw development projects worth some £100m on the original Heslington West campus. Elizabeth was a member of the RIBA Higher Education Design Quality Forum and a Lay Assessor for the RIBA awards 2013.
Elizabeth has degrees in French and Medieval Studies, and professional librarianship qualifications. She joined the University of York Library in 1976, holding a number of posts before becoming the University Librarian and later assuming responsibility for the Borthwick Institute for Archives.
Elizabeth is Vice Chair of York Archaeological Trust, a committee member of York Design Awards, and a member of the Company of Merchant Adventurers of the City of York. For York Civic Trust, she is involved with the Wayfinding project as part of the City Enhancement Programme and sits on the Board and the Finance and General Purposes committee.