University of Leeds Vice-Chancellor to head The Russell Group

30 January 2009

The UK’s leading research universities have chosen University of Leeds Vice-Chancellor Professor Michael Arthur to head their association.  Professor Arthur is to take over chairmanship of The Russell Group from the Provost of University College London, Professor Malcolm Grant, on 1 September 2009.

Professor Arthur said he was thrilled to be selected by his peers to represent them.  “On a personal level, this is a tremendous honour,” he said.  “We face the most turbulent period in higher education for some time – with a recession looming, a general election and a fees review– so it’s particularly pleasing to be entrusted with navigating the Russell Group through these choppy waters.”

Director General of the Russell Group, Dr Wendy Piatt, said: “Professor Arthur has made an exceptional contribution to higher education and I have no doubt that his leadership will be a tremendous asset. I am greatly looking forward to working with him to help demonstrate how our world class universities continue to make a huge contribution to the UK’s economy and society”

Formed in 1994, the Russell Group has been led by the Vice-Chancellors of the Universities of Oxford and Birmingham and University College London; Michael Arthur is its first chair from a northern university.   It provides thought leadership and strategic direction for the UK’s 20 major international universities, developing policy on a wide range of issues relating to higher education underpinned by a robust evidence base and a commitment to civic responsibility, improving life chances, raising aspirations and contributing to economic prosperity and innovation.

Professor Arthur became Vice-Chancellor of the University of Leeds in September 2004 following a distinguished career in medical research and leadership at the University of Southampton.  He has galvanised the institution with a strategic focus on world-class excellence, and enjoyed steady improvements in performance across research and learning and teaching.

Professor Arthur has a significant national profile as chair of the steering group for the National Student Survey (2005-8), on the board of the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (2008-) and as a member of the Department of Children, Schools and Families' expert advisory group on the 14 - 19 reforms and a US/UK Fulbright commissioner.  He was invited to join the Medical Research Council in November 2008.  Professor Arthur is also on the boards of Opera North and Yorkshire Forward.
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See also http://www.leeds.ac.uk/about/senior_officers/vc.htm
For more information, interviews or photographs, please contact University of Leeds director of media relations, Vanessa Bridge on 0113 343 4030 v.bridge@leeds.ac.uk

For Russell Group media enquiries please contact Daniel O’Connor on 020 7872 5805 or media@russellgroup.ac.uk

Notes:

The University of Leeds

The University of Leeds is one of the largest higher education institutions in the UK with more than 30,000 students from 130 countries and a turnover of £450m.  The University is a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive universities and the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise showed it to be the UK’s eighth biggest research powerhouse.  The University’s vision is to secure a place among the world’s top 50 by 2015.

The Russell Group

The purpose of the Russell Group is to provide thought leadership and strategic direction for 20 major research intensive universities of the UK (listed below); we aim to ensure that policy development in a wide range of issues relating to higher education is underpinned by a robust evidence base and a commitment to civic responsibility, improving life chances, raising aspirations and contributing to economic prosperity and innovation.