* The Department for Education and Skills has appointed Michael Stevenson , former joint director of factual and learning at the BBC, director of strategy and communications. Mr Stevenson resigned from the BBC over criticism of his role in talks on a £150 million digital curriculum project that had still to receive government approval. He replaces Peter Wanless, who will become director of secondary education, in June.
* DeAnne Julius , former member of the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee, will take up the post of chairman of the Royal Institute of International Affairs on July 24.
* Leszek Borysiewicz , professor and principal of the faculty of medicine at Imperial College London, has been appointed non-executive director of the North West London Strategic Health Authority.
* Chris Twelves , reader in medical oncology at Glasgow University, has been appointed professor of clinical cancer pharmacology and oncology at Leeds University medical school oncology unit.
* Peter Ringrose , who recently retired as chief scientific officer of the Bristol-Myers Squibb Company based in Princeton US, will be the next chair of the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council.
* Julia Higgins , professor of polymer science at Imperial College London and director of the Graduate School of the Engineering and Physical Sciences, has been appointed chair of the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council.
* Margaret Elphinstone , author and academic, has been appointed professor of writing at the department of English studies, Strathclyde University.