Chairs

London School of Economics and Political Science

Paul Davies, professor of the law of enterprise at the University of Oxford and fellow of Balliol College, Cassel professor of commercial law; David de Meza, professor at the University of Exeter, professor of management (half-time); Linda Colley, Richard M. Colgate professor of history at Yale University, professor of history at the school's European Institute.

Visiting professors: William Wilson, Malcolm Wiener professor of social policy at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University; Susie Orbach, founder of the Women's Therapy Centre; Saskia Sassen, professor of urban planning at Columbia University; Martin Albrow, president of the sociology and social policy section, British Association for the Advancement of Science; Robert Cassen, director of one of the World Bank's development reports; Bruno Latour, Centre de Sociologie de L'Innovation, Ecole Nationale Superieure des Mines, Paris; Ninian Smart, J. F. Rowny professor of comparative religions at the University of California, Santa Barbara; Nicholas Mays, director of health services research, King's Fund, London.

University of Durham

Michael Clarke, professor at Glasgow Caledonian University, chair in retail marketing.

The following readers have been promoted to professorships: Nicholas Harris, biological science; Charles Heywood, psychology; Andrew Louth, theology; Elizabeth Warner, Ustinov Institute for the Study of Central and Eastern Europe; Rob Dixon, business school; Dick Hobbs, sociology and social policy; Joy Palmer, education; Brian Roberts, geography.

Michael Blakemore, senior lecturer and executive director of NOMIS, professor in department of geography.

Anglia Polytechnic University

Bob Reeve, professor and head of the department of music, has been appointed director of strategic information and planning.

University of Hull

Alyn Morice, head of adult cystic fibrosis service in Sheffield, has been appointed to the chair in respiratory medicine, head of the academic department of medicine and will be based at Castle Hill Hospital; Michael Lind, senior lecturer at Newcastle, has been appointed professor of oncology and head of a new academic department in the school of medicine; Richard Andrews, director of research and postgraduate programmes in the schools of lifelong learning and education, Middlesex University, has been appointed chair in education.