Professor Michael Arthur, currently Vice Chancellor of the University of Leeds and former Chair of the Worldwide Universities Network, was confirmed on 10 December as the new President and Provost of University College London (UCL). He will succeed Professor Malcolm Grant, who has led UCL since 2003 and who will be stepping down in September 2013.
Professor Arthur was Chair of the Worldwide Universities Network from 2007-2009 and currently serves as Deputy Chair. He has been Vice-Chancellor at the University of Leeds since 2004. He is a Commissioner for the US-UK Fulbright Commission, a Council member of the Medical Research Council, Deputy Chair of the Worldwide Universities Network and chaired the Russell Group of elite UK universities for three years until stepping down in August 2012.
Chair of UCL Council, Sir Stephen Wall, said: “The Council chose Michael Arthur because we were impressed by his personal qualities, by his own record of professional and academic attainment and by his leadership and achievements at Leeds. He has transformed Leeds University’s research and teaching, established healthy finances, put Leeds on the map as a Russell Group institution and developed a strong sense of community and commitment among academic and non-academic staff. He has a strong record of engagement with the local community. He has made Leeds a high performer in teaching, reflected in its ratings in the National Student Survey. He has not been afraid to take difficult decisions and to lead from the front but he also has a proven record of empowering others at all levels.”
Professor Michael Arthur said: “It is a very great honour to be appointed as the next President and Provost of UCL, one of the world's leading universities. I admire the history and origins of UCL and the continued focus on its founding principles and values. Malcolm Grant will be a very hard act to follow, but I look forward to rising to that challenge in leading London's Global University.”
