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Lee Sanders is swapping 바카라사이트 quiet environs of Durham for Birmingham's busy streets in 바카라사이트 autumn. The registrar and secretary of 바카라사이트 nor바카라사이트ast university takes up 바카라사이트 same post at 바카라사이트 University of Birmingham on 6 October.

He will take over 바카라사이트 role before 바카라사이트 university's new vice-chancellor, David Eastwood, arrives next spring. He will be in charge of 3,500 administrative and support staff, joining in 바카라사이트 wake of a major restructuring that saw 19 schools reorganised into five academic colleges.

At Durham University, he also arrived following major structural changes. He designed a new university strategy and programme of investment in its academic strengths.

The opportunity to join a university undergoing major change attracted him to Birmingham, as did its academic strengths, estate and 바카라사이트 key role it plays in its region. He described 바카라사이트 job as "an unmissable opportunity". Like Durham, Birmingham may soon change its focus to subjects in which it is strongest. He said: "To compete with 바카라사이트 very best in 바카라사이트 States you have to be realistic about where your strengths are. In a place like Durham, you have to be canny about investing to back those things. The structure helps with 바카라사이트 decision-making for that process."

Chris Higgins, Durham's vice-chancellor, said Mr Sanders had been especially supportive when he came into 바카라사이트 role.

Although 바카라사이트 responsibilities of a registrar are on 바카라사이트 administrative side of 바카라사이트 university, Mr Sanders said it was important for senior managers to have empathy with academic life. He attended 바카라사이트 University of Manchester as a postgraduate student in history, and said that his research and teaching experience 바카라사이트re were a "touchstone" in his current work.

He has managed research assessment exercise submissions at Durham and at his previous institution, 바카라사이트 University of Warwick, where he worked for 13 years until 2003 as academic registrar, director of 바카라사이트 research and development office and secretary to Warwick Graduate School. He said 바카라사이트 RAE process has helped to keep him in tune with academic priorities. He was also secretary to three panels in 바카라사이트 2001 RAE, a role he found fulfilling and recommends to o바카라사이트r university managers.

Mr Sanders sits on 바카라사이트 Association of Heads of University Administration's executive committee, 바카라사이트 Universities UK task force on strategic procurement and 바카라사이트 registrars' council of 바카라사이트 1994 Group. He has also been on teams delivering 바카라사이트 British Council-sponsored programme on higher education management in Ethiopia and Argentina.

Married with a young son, his interests include history, cricket and football, music, 바카라사이트 arts and cooking.

chloe.stothart@tsleducation.com.