* Abertay Dundee University has appointed Lachlan MacKinnon as professor of information and knowledge engineering. He is a former reader in computer science and director of postgraduate study at the school of mathematical and computer science at Heriot-Watt University.
* Kevin Burrows, the former chief superintendent of the Leicestershire Constabulary, has taken up the position of head of security at De Montfort University, heading operations on the Leicester City campus and the Lansdowne and Polhill sites in Bedford.
* Jim McConnell , current head of facilities for BAE Systems at its Glasgow base, has been appointed director of estates and buildings at Glasgow University.
* David Argyle , former head of oncology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, has been appointed to the William Dick chair of veterinary clinical studies at Edin-burgh University.
* Colin McGuckin will join Newcastle University as professor of regenerative medicine in December. He is currently director of the stem cell therapy programme at Kingston University, London, where he is also reader in stem cell biology, tissue engineering and space medicine.
Dr McGuckin also holds a visiting professorship at Rice University, Houston, Texas, and at the University of Texas Medical Branch, and an honorary professorship at IPCT University, Brazil.
* Reading University has appointed Stuart Dunlop as director of music. He is former assistant director of music at Warwick University.