d21 > News > Durham to appoint Higgins as Vice-Chancellor
Durham to appoint Higgins as Vice-Chancellor
added 05.07.06 Roger Jeffery reports on the man to succeed Kenneth Calman in 2007... 
Durham has appointed an eminent scientist and former student of the university to succeed former Chief Medical Officer, Professor Sir Kenneth Calman as Vice Chancellor. Professor Chris Higgins, who is the director of the MRC Clinical Sciences Centre and head of division in the Faculty of Medicine at Imperial College London will take up the post in 2007, the university's 175th anniversary year. Professor Higgins (51) is a renowned and respected figure in the fields of biomedical science, academia and government and has published more than 200 research papers in the field of cell biology and genetics, winning many awards for his research. He is an elected Fellow of the European Molecular Biology Organisation (EMBO), the Academy of Medical Sciences and has served on the Councils of the Academy of Medical Sciences and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC). Higgins also served as scientific advisor to the House of Lords Select Committee on Stem Cell Research and is currently a member of the Human Genetics Commission, chairing the Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee (SEAC), the Government committee which advises on BSE and CJD.
As such Higgins brings to Durham a top quality research record in molecular biology and genetics, as well as an enthusiasm for the communication and public understanding of science, gained from lecturing and broadcasting on the subject. He has also been heavily involved in the organization of public events such as debates at the Science Museum and has been involved with the national planning and policy making with the Science Media Centre. Entrepreneurial activities include launching the research journal Molecular Microbiology, which has eclipsed other UK and US journals in the field and now publishes 200 page issues every two weeks with a turnover approaching £2M per year, and the successful establishment of a medical imaging company as a unique public-private partnership between the MRC and Amersham (now GE Healthcare).
Professor Higgins (51) studied at the Royal College of Music before becoming a botanist. He subsequently developed interests in genetics and cell biology at the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of Dundee. In 1993, he was appointed Nuffield Professor of Clinical Biochemistry at the University of Oxford, and moved to his present post with the Medical Research Council at Imperial in 1998. However, the appointment also signals a return to Durham for Higgins who graduated as a student of Grey College with a first class degree in Botany in 1976 and a PhD in 1979. Higgins, who led the orchestra during his time here as a student, also has family connections with the University. His father Philip is a retired Professor and Head of Mathematics at the University and one of his five daughters, Julia, graduated from Durham in 2005.
Commenting on his appointment, Professor Higgins noted: "Durham is a world class University and I am very much looking forward to working with staff and students to ensure that it continues to go from strength to strength and meets the challenges posed by an ever-changing sector. I believe my appointment as Vice-Chancellor reaffirms Durham's long-term commitment to excellence in research and teaching and hope to be able to share my experience and ideas to further raise Durham's impact and profile on academic and policy issues in the North-East, in the UK and around the world. I am also looking forward to taking up this post in Durham's 175th anniversary year and reacquainting myself with Durham - a place which holds so many wonderful memories."
Mrs Anne Galbraith, Vice-Chairman of the University's Council, who chaired the appointing panel, said the University had made a first-class appointment: "Professor Higgins clearly has the right experience, research profile and leadership qualities. He is the man to take forward and build on the excellent work of Sir Kenneth Calman. He will ensure that Durham continues to be recognised as one of the UK's finest universities, that it is geared up to make a substantial contribution to the development of the UK's knowledge economy, and remains a supportive learning environment."
Outgoing Vice Chancellor, Sir Kenneth Calman, whose eight year tenure has seen the expansion and integration of the campus at Stockton-on-Tees with two new colleges built - as well as the much-maligned 'strategic improvement programme' - welcomed his successor: "In recruiting Professor Higgins I believe that Durham has demonstrated its commitment to further strengthening its standing as one of the UK's leading research-led Universities and the North-East's top academic institution."
Durham's Student Union President, Alex Duncan also expressed his enthusiasm at the appointment: "Chris will preserve and strengthen everything which makes Durham so unique and special. Recognised by the Sunday Times as its current 'University of the Year', Durham offers an unparalleled academic and pastoral experience. Having been an undergraduate and postgraduate student here Chris understands and is a shining example of this."
The appointment of Professor Higgins as Vice-Chancellor coincides with a number of significant changes to Durham's staff infrastructure, with the university committed to investing £13 million in staff and infrastructures as part of its drive towards the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise. A new Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Student Experience, a new Dean of Social Sciences and a Dean of Colleges are due to be announced later this year.
Comments for "Durham to appoint Higgins as Vice-Chancellor"
Get Involved!
14/07/2006 09:56
13/07/2006 14:58
13/07/2006 13:32
07/07/2006 19:01
however, i'm not sure the comments below should be dismissed as just people sniping at alex for the sake of it. as president, alex was speaking as a figurehead for durham students as a whole (as the title of dsu's own press release suggests - "Durham Students welcome the appointment of Chris Higgins as our New Vice Chancellor"). the comments below merely point out that some of us would prefer dsu to use correct forms of address when they are making public utterences on our behalf. ulimately though, it's down to alex's discretion and i suspect that not a lot of people will pay much attention to what he says anyway.
so what do people think of the new vice chancellor then? what about the other changes to the staff infrastructure?
07/07/2006 12:12
It is typical Durham that there's been more comments on what someone called someone else in a press release than on the actual important content of the release - the person appointed who will be running the University for perhaps the next decade!
07/07/2006 11:07
07/07/2006 10:00
07/07/2006 09:42
To put the record straight Alex along with Nick and representatives of the JCRs met the new VC as they were involved in the interview process to select him. My experience of my first few days in office is that the vast majority of senior university staff refer to us by our first names and so do we to them. Anyway to give you a commitment from your sabb team; we will always put getting on with job of supporting and representing students and making DSU better ahead of worrying about correct forms of address.
Enjoy the sunshine. Kieren
06/07/2006 18:38
06/07/2006 14:33
06/07/2006 12:09
I'm beginning to see a pattern here (there's a pattern for Registrar's too - at least the current and previous one were pinched from Warwick University...)
He does sound like an excellent choice, though, and I think it's great that they've appointed someone who already has obvious strong connections to Durham.
05/07/2006 18:26
05/07/2006 16:53
05/07/2006 16:51