Hefce appoints first female chief executive

Source: The Association of Commonwealth Universities

¡®Wisdom and understanding¡¯: Madeleine Atkins brings a wealth of experience

The vice-chancellor of Coventry University is to become 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England¡¯s first female chief executive.

Madeleine Atkins will succeed Sir Alan Langlands, who will step down on 1 October to become vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Leeds.

Hefce chair Tim Melville-Ross said Professor Atkins had been 바카라사이트 unanimous choice of 바카라사이트 funding council¡¯s board and he praised her ¡°expertise, wisdom and understanding¡±.

Universities and science minister David Willetts told 온라인 바카라 he was happy to confirm her appointment, pointing to her ¡°breadth of her experience¡±, which includes membership of 바카라사이트 Hefce board since 2009 and senior governance roles at 바카라사이트 Association of Commonwealth Universities, 바카라사이트 National Endowment for Science, Technology and 바카라사이트 Arts and 바카라사이트 Council for Industry and Higher Education.

He also highlighted her experience of a range of universities; she has an undergraduate degree from 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge, a PhD from 바카라사이트 University of Nottingham and has worked in a variety of senior roles at Newcastle University.

He said she had done an ¡°excellent job¡± at Coventry, which she has led since 2004, and was ¡°well regarded by her fellow vice-chancellors¡±. She is notable for responding to 바카라사이트 coalition government¡¯s tripling of 바카라사이트 ceiling on tuition fees by pioneering a low-cost alternative to mainstream higher education at spin-off institution Coventry University College.

Her research interest in 바카라사이트 use of new technology to support learning would ¡°stand her in very good stead given 바카라사이트 emergence of Moocs [massive open online courses]¡±, Mr Willetts added.

He said she had prevailed in a ¡°strong field¡± of vice-chancellors who wanted 바카라사이트 job, and he rejected suggestions that Hefce¡¯s role had been diminished by 바카라사이트 removal of most of its teaching funding.

His recently announced intention to see 바카라사이트 body wield power via its remit to ¡°designate¡± courses and institutions for Student Loans Company funding would ensure that Hefce continued to be ¡°absolutely at 바카라사이트 centre of 바카라사이트 regime for higher education in England¡±. It also remained his intention ultimately to legislate to give it ¡°explicit¡± regulatory powers.

All five of Hefce¡¯s previous executives since its foundation in 1992 have been male and a female appointment was widely anticipated. Mr Willetts said Professor Atkins was chosen on merit, ¡°but we are very aware of 바카라사이트 importance of diversity and appointing 바카라사이트 first woman is a bonus¡±.

Professor Atkins, whose start date has yet to be confirmed, said her aim would be to promote ¡°an internationally renowned sector which advances research and promotes social and economic prosperity for 바카라사이트 benefit of students and 바카라사이트 wider community¡±.

paul.jump@tsleducation.com