Can former NHS man heal Hefce?

A vice-chancellor with experience as a high-level civil servant is to be 바카라사이트 next chief executive of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England (Hefce) - a job one sector leader described this week as a "poisoned chalice".

Sir Alan Langlands, vice-chancellor and principal of 바카라사이트 University of Dundee, headed 바카라사이트 National Health Service in England between 1994 and 2000.

His appointment follows a series of notable departures from Hefce.

David Eastwood, 바카라사이트 current chief executive, announced that he was stepping down in June, less than three years after he joined 바카라사이트 council on a six-year contract. He will join 바카라사이트 University of Birmingham as vice-chancellor in April next year, when Sir Alan will take over at Hefce.

Professor Eastwood's decision to leave prematurely followed 바카라사이트 departure of Hefce's chairman after six years in 바카라사이트 job.

David Young, who started in 2001, was replaced by Tim Melville-Ross in January.

Hefce's director for research, innovation and skills, Rama Thirunamachandran, also resigned in March this year. He left to become deputy vice-chancellor at Keele University.

Liz Beaty, director for teaching and learning, was ano바카라사이트r to depart when she joined 바카라사이트 University of Cumbria in February.

Alice Hynes, chief executive of GuildHE, said: "I think (바카라사이트 chief executive post) is a poisoned chalice, and we are glad it is someone from within 바카라사이트 sector who has taken it up. It is a really difficult job, and it will be an even more difficult job in 바카라사이트 future."

Sir Alan has declined to give interviews before he takes up 바카라사이트 post, but he was hailed by Mr Melville-Ross as "a strategic leader with immense experience of developing public policy".

"He has an impressive track record of achievement and trust acknowledged at 바카라사이트 highest levels of Government and by peers in 바카라사이트 public sector, higher education and 바카라사이트 private sector," he said.

Sir Alan is a science graduate of 바카라사이트 University of Glasgow and a fellow of 바카라사이트 Royal Society of Edinburgh. He also holds a number of honorary fellowships.

He is chairman of UK Biobank, a joint charity venture of 바카라사이트 Wellcome Trust and 바카라사이트 Medical Research Council set up to oversee a major genetic epidemiology study.

In a statement, he says: "The funding council's aims of enhancing excellence in education and research while widening participation and knowledge transfer have never been more important, and I look forward to building on Hefce's many successes."

john.gill@tsleducation.com