Appointments

George Mitchell, chancellor of Queen's University Belfast, is stepping down after ten years in the post. The former senator, who was appointed US Special Envoy for Middle East Peace by President Barack Obama last month, said he was resigning with "deep and genuine regret". His role as Special Envoy precludes his engaging in any outside activities.

The University of Hull has appointed Calie Pistorius its new vice-chancellor when incumbent David Drewry steps down from the role on 1 September. Professor Pistorius is the vice-chancellor and principal of the University of Pretoria, South Africa.

Martin Christopher, emeritus professor of marketing and logistics at Cranfield School of Management, has become a visiting professor at the Logistics Institute at Hull University Business School. His appointment carries on a family affair with the university; his parents met when they were students at the university in the 1930s and his daughter graduated from Hull a few years ago in English and drama.

Alessandra Guariglia has joined Durham Business School as a professor of financial economics and head of the department of accounting and finance. Before coming to Durham, she was associate professor and reader at the Nottingham School of Economics.

Emma Leech has been appointed director of marketing, communications and development at Manchester Metropolitan University. Previously head of communications and marketing at the university, Ms Leech has led the restructuring of the department, overseeing the expansion of the team from eight to 26 and extending its remit significantly. A former recipient of the Marketer of the Year award, Ms Leech has recently been made a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations and has been invited to become a member of the Institute of Directors.

Andy Baird has joined the University of Leeds as professor of wetland science. Formerly at Queen Mary, University of London, Professor Baird's research interests include water flows and heat transfers in soil, carbon balance processes in peatlands, computer simulations of peatland development over timescales from hundreds to thousands of years and the management of these important carbon sinks under future climates.

James Newton has been appointed head of the University of Aberdeen's Dental School. Professor Newton joins Aberdeen from the University of Dundee Dental Hospital and School, where he was sub-dean for teaching and senior clinical lecturer and honorary consultant in restorative dentistry. Commenting on his appointment, Professor Newton said he was looking forward to being part of the drive to "improve and maintain the oral health of the people of Scotland".

Cass Business School has made two new appointments: Lucio Sarno is the new head of the faculty of finance and Alex Fraser is the new chief operating officer. Professor Sarno joins from Warwick Business School, where he was professor of finance and served as chair of the finance group and associate dean for research. Mr Fraser joins Cass with a general management background covering a wide range of support services in both private and public sectors. Most recently, he worked as chief executive officer of Land Data.

Steven Barnett, professor of communications at the University of Westminster, has been appointed special adviser to the House of Lords Select Committee on Communications for its new inquiry into the British film and television industries. The committee will examine the contribution of TV and film to the British economy and to the promotion of UK culture and talent. Professor Barnett previously advised the same committee in its inquiry, published in June 2008, into news and media ownership.

Francine Cheater has been appointed director of the research institute of health and wellbeing at Glasgow Caledonian University. Professor Cheater was formerly professor of public health nursing in the School of Healthcare in the faculty of medicine and health at the University of Leeds.

Vicky Lewis has been appointed director of marketing and communications at Bournemouth University. Dr Lewis joined the institution in 2000 to establish its international office, and from there went on to serve as head of international and corporate relations in 2005, broadening her remit to include responsibility for all the university's marketing, communications, PR and international activities.

The Robert Gordon University has appointed Adam Ogilvie-Smith honorary professor at its Aberdeen Business School. Professor Ogilvie-Smith will provide input into a range of initiatives across the university and has recently contributed to the business security co-ordinators course run in partnership with Grampian Police.

David Shepherd, currently director of the Humanities Research Institute at the University of Sheffield, has been appointed the new dean of humanities and social sciences at Keele University. Professor Shepherd is a specialist in 20th-century Russian culture and in critical and cultural theory, working in particular on the Russian philosopher Mikhail Bakhtin and the Bakhtin Circle. He has also conducted research in the digital humanities.

Writer and actor Sanjeev Bhaskar has been appointed the University of Sussex's new chancellor. Mr Bhaskar will be formally installed at the university's summer graduation ceremony in July. Speaking about the honorary appointment, Michael Farthing, the vice-chancellor, said: "Sanjeev Bhaskar was for me a perfect candidate for chancellor. Not only is he a gifted and inspiring writer and entertainer, he has also demonstrated a real commitment to education across continents. He will be a delightful colleague."

Lancaster University's International Observatory on End of Life Care has awarded the title of honorary professor to Barbara Monroe, chief executive of the St Christopher's Hospice in London. Professor Monroe promotes services for families and for children facing bereavement. Her work has also had an international focus as she has delivered training programmes in Kenya, South Africa, India, Japan, the US, New Zealand and across Europe.