In a university, an assistant to a vice-chancellor is called a pro-vice-chancellor (also pro vice-chancellor or deputy vice-chancellor). These are sometimes teaching academics who take on additional responsibilities. Some of these responsibilities are in charge of Administration, Research and Development, Academic and Education affairs. In some universities, there are several deputy vice-chancellors subordinate to the vice-chancellor, with pro-vice-chancellor being a position at an executive level ranking below deputy vice-chancellor.
In the National University of Ireland, each president of the constituent universities (being University College Dublin, University College Cork, National University of Ireland, Galway and National University of Ireland, Maynooth), holds the title of Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the NUI, though they generally only use this title at conferring ceremonies.
In the Australian Catholic University, there are three pro-vice-chancellors, each one responsible for both an area of academic affairs and a regional area. The University of New England, Australia also has three PVCs (two Deans, another Academic) and a deputy VC (Research).
In New Zealand universities, the term pro-vice-chancellor is sometimes used to denote senior executive positions equivalent to deans of colleges and schools in North American universities. In this case the term dean is normally reserved for academic administrative positions concerned with programmes and students. Most universities, however, use the term pro-vice-chancellor in the above sense.