On course for Plymouth

Plymouth University has scored a bit of a coup. It has recruited Roland Levinsky, vice-provost of University College London, as its next vice-chancellor.

Professor Levinsky is head of UCL's graduate school, he chairs a funding council steering committee on postgraduate education and he is an authority on immunodeficiency diseases and former dean of the Institute for Child Health in London, which has merged with UCL.

Professor Levinsky also holds a yachtmaster's offshore certificate, has logged more than 15,000 sea miles and, in 1996-97, on a short sabbatical, skippered his 42ft yacht, Meridian of Beaulieu , in a transatlantic race between Grand Canaria, the Canary Islands and St Lucia in the Caribbean.