Appointments

Andrew Watkinson, a professor at the University of East Anglia who heads the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, has been appointed director of the Living with Environmental Change (LWEC) research programme. LWEC is a partnership of 17 organisations driven by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) that is working to find ways to adapt to environmental changes. Professor Watkinson said: "LWEC will play a vital part in securing the future wellbeing of the UK's people and economy ... This is a huge challenge." Professor Watkinson, who was presented with the Marsh Award for Ecology in 2003 by the British Ecological Society, is chair of the NERC/Economic and Social Research Council/Department for International Development advisory committee on ecosystem services and poverty alleviation. He is also a visiting professor at Fudan University, Shanghai.

John Jeans has been appointed chief operating officer and deputy chief executive of the Medical Research Council. He will take up the position in January, when Nick Winterton retires as executive director. Mr Jeans is currently chairman of GE Healthcare and president of GE's life sciences commercial operations.

Two senior appointments have been made at City University London. Dinos Arcoumanis has been named the new deputy vice-chancellor for research and international affairs, and Ken Grattan has been appointed conjoint dean of the School of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences and the School of Informatics. Professor Arcoumanis joined the university in 2000 as head of the aeronautical, civil and mechanical engineering department; a year later he became dean of the School of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences. In 2006, he was appointed the university's first pro vice-chancellor for research and international affairs. Professor Grattan, currently deputy dean of the School of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences, joined City in 1983 as a lecturer in physics. He was later appointed professor of measurement and instrumentation and head of the department of electrical, electronic and information engineering.

Robert Lentell has been named associate dean of the University of East London Business School. He joins UEL from London Metropolitan University, where he was leader of the tourism, sport and creative industries subject group. Susan Price, acting vice-chancellor of UEL, said: "He has the skills, background and dynamism to help establish UEL as a leading centre for business education, innovation and enterprise."

University College Falmouth has announced three additions to its senior management team. Geoff Smith has been appointed deputy rector; Andrew Upton will become pro rector for external relations and knowledge transfer; and Sara Reed will be director of the School of Art and Performance. Professor Smith will take up his post in November. He taught at the universities of Manchester and Huddersfield before he became head of music at Bath Spa University, where he founded the School of Music and Performing Arts. Dr Upton will take up his role in September after he leaves Southampton Solent University, where he has spent 12 years as a lecturer and, later, associate dean (external development). Ms Reed, currently director of choreography, takes up the role of director of the School of Art and Performance in October. She is currently completing her PhD at the University of Surrey.

A long-serving academic at the University of Cape Town has been appointed director of the School of Management at Cranfield University. Frank Horwitz will take over from Michael Osbaldeston in April next year. Professor Horwitz has been at the Graduate School of Business at the South African university for the past 23 years, serving as director or acting director for eight years, director of research for six years and MBA director for three. He has held posts as visiting professor at the Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University and Nanyang Business School in Singapore. He was also previously visiting professor in the faculty of management at the University of Calgary, and research associate at Griffith University, Brisbane. He is also a former faculty member of Wits Business School, University of the Witwatersrand.

Bournemouth University has named John Vinney, currently dean of the School of Design, Engineering and Computing, as pro vice-chancellor (resources). Following the death of pro vice-chancellor Rosemary Pope earlier this year, the university has also named Brian Astin acting pro vice-chancellor (education). From October, Dr Astin will combine his new role with that of dean of the student experience. He previously held the position of dean of the School of Conservation Sciences.

The University of Salford has named a new executive dean for its faculty of health and social care. Cynthia Pine joins Salford from her position as dean of dentistry at the University of Liverpool. "With Salford graduates forming a large part of the health service in the North West, it's a great opportunity to help deliver the professionals that the National Health Service needs for the future," she said. In 2006, Professor Pine was appointed CBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours for her services to dentistry.

Tom Levinson has recently taken over as head of widening participation at the University of Cambridge. His role will include raising the university's profile to encourage applications from students from state schools, from those with disadvantaged backgrounds and from first-generation university-goers. Cambridge said Mr Levinson has great knowledge and experience gained from his previous roles at the University of East Anglia Medical School, where he worked in admissions and managed the university's central recruitment team. Mr Levinson said: "We need to work to identify and encourage students who are Cambridge material but who are deterred by obstacles, perceived or real."

The University of Plymouth has named Maureen Neal and Mary Watkins its deputy vice-chancellors. Professor Neal will join Plymouth from Manchester Metropolitan University, where she is currently dean of the faculty of science and engineering and pro vice-chancellor with responsibility for research and business-facing initiatives. She has worked in higher education since 1989, holding posts at the universities of Sheffield Hallam, Derby and Coventry. Professor Watkins has been pro vice-chancellor (health) at Plymouth since 2005. She began her career in higher education in the 1980s, holding posts in the Royal College of Nursing and Institute of Psychiatry. She became head of the Institute of Health Studies at the University of Plymouth in 1996.