A leading light at the University of Huddersfield has taken up a new job at a rival university this week.
Professor Peter Slee is the new Vice Chancellor of Leeds Beckett University.
He was a high profile figure as Deputy Vice Chancellor at Huddersfield, when his many responsibilities included strategic planning, finance, marketing, PR, and development.
Over the years Professor Slee helped drive forward major improvements in student satisfaction, research and the university’s league table position.
He was educated at the University of Reading, gained a PhD in Modern History from Cambridge and was a postdoctoral fellow at Manchester and Durham.
He is also a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and is widely published in modern history and higher education strategy and management. He is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and an award-winning teacher and trainer.
Chair of the Board of Governors at Leeds Beckett University, David Lowen, said: “We are delighted to welcome Professor Slee to our University. He has a wealth of experience in the sector and an in-depth knowledge of the local and regional environment within which our University operates.
“He also has an excellent track record of senior leadership across similar institutions notable for achieving success and transformational change; his leadership and vision will be critical in developing our next strategic plan.”
He is replaced at Huddersfield by Professor Tim Thornton, the university’s Pro-Vice Chancellor (Teaching and Learning), who has been at Huddersfield since 1994.
He began his career at the university as a lecturer in history and rapidly rose to become professor, then Dean of the School of Music, Humanities and Media.
Vice-Chancellor, Professor Bob Cryan said: “I am delighted that Tim will be my new deputy. His commitment to academic excellence and to the student experience has been instrumental in our excellent graduate employment figures, and the increasingly strong reputation of Huddersfield.”
