The BPA was established in 2003. Its aim is to promote and foster the teaching of and research in Philosophy in the United Kingdom, within higher education and also within the wider community. It acts as the member association for all UK-based professional philosophers. It represents philosophers and philosophy to many external bodies (such as government agencies, the media and universities), as well as coordinating all the joint activities from a range of different philosophy associations, such as the The Royal Institute of Philosophy, the Association of Philosophy Teachers and others. Its founding President was Professor Roger Trigg, who previously chaired the BPA’s predecessor, the National Committee for Philosophy, and who oversaw the transition to the BPA. Its current President is Prof. Helen Beebee FBA and its current Director is Prof. Simon Kirchin (both University of Leeds). Our most recent previous President is Professor Fiona Macpherson (University of Glasgow).
Since its inception, the BPA has sought to engage in constructive dialogue, on behalf of the philosophical community in the UK, with bodies such as the Arts and Humanities Research Council, the British Academy, the Quality Assurance Agency, AQA (formerly the Assessment and Qualifications Alliance), and Advance HE (formerly the Higher Education Academy). The BPA is an active member of the Arts and Humanities Alliance.
The BPA is very grateful to all of its members for their support – whether individual teachers and researchers, institutional members, learned societies or even those simply with a keen interest in supporting philosophy in the UK. If you are not a member of the BPA and would like to join, please visit our Join page.
Since April 2024, the BPA is a registered charity (number 1208038). You can also read the BPA Constitution and a brief History of the BPA.
Executive Committee
- Helen Beebee (Leeds) (2026) – President
- Simon Kirchin (Leeds) (2014) – Director
- Garrath Williams (Lancaster) (2022) – Treasurer
- Derek Brown (Glasgow) (2019)
- Fiona Woollard (Southampton) (2019)
- Heather Widdows (Warwick) (2022)
- Sophie-Grace Chappell (Open) (2024)
- Joshua Forstenzer (Sheffield (2024)
- Rosanna Keefe (Sheffield) (2024)
- Anne-Marie McCallion (Manchester Metropolitan) (2025)
- Rachel Cooper (Lancaster (2026)
- Robert Cowan (Glasgow) (2026)
Co-opted members (the Executive Committee is empowered to add up to 4 co-opted members):
- Julian Baggini (writer, broadcaster) (2024)
- Robert Penney (Chair, Association of Philosophy Teachers) (2024)
- Barry Smith (Director, Institute of Philosophy) (2025)
- Jonny Thomson (writer, broadcaster) (2025)
Executive Secretary
- Peter Davies (Lancaster) – admin@bpa.ac.uk
Our departmental members
- Aberdeen University
- Anglia Ruskin University
- Bath Spa University
- Birkbeck College, University of London
- University of Birmingham
- University of Brighton
- University of Bristol
- University of Cambridge
- Cardiff University
- University of Chichester
- University of Dundee
- University of Durham
- University of East Anglia
- University of Edinburgh
- University of Essex
- University of Exeter
- University of Glasgow
- University of Hertfordshire
- University of Hull
- University of Keele
- King’s College London, University of London
- Kingston University
- University of Leeds
- Liverpool Hope University
- University of Liverpool
- Manchester Metropolitan University
- University of Manchester
- Newcastle University
- University of Nottingham
- Open University
- University of Oxford
- University of Reading
- University of Roehampton
- Royal Holloway, University of London
- University of Sheffield
- University of Southampton
- University of St Andrews
- University of Stirling
- University of Sussex
- University College London
- University of Warwick
- University of West of England
- University of Winchester
- University of York
