Kennedy became the first Chancellor of Oxford Brookes University, serving from 1994 to 2001. Kennedy was elected principal of Mansfield College, Oxford in July 2010 and served from September 2011."Baroness Helena Kennedy QC elected next Principal of Mansfield College" , University of Oxford Mansfield College, 13 April 2011. She retired in 2018 and became Chancellor of Sheffield Hallam University on 26 July 2018.
