Appointments

The director of the Institute of Education, University of London is to retire after a decade in the post. Geoff Whitty, an expert on education policy, teacher education and curriculums, started the job in 2000. An alumnus of the IoE, he was a lecturer at Bath University and King's College London before going on to hold professorships and senior management posts at the former Bristol Polytechnic and Goldsmiths, University of London. Announcing his retirement last week, he said: "For more than 40 years now, I have considered the institute my intellectual and professional home, and the thought of life without it and without the fantastic students and colleagues I work with here is, in many respects, quite daunting."

Canterbury Christ Church University has appointed Robin Baker as its next vice-chancellor. Dr Baker is currently vice-chancellor of the University of Chichester and is a former pro vice-chancellor of the University of Kent. As reported on www.timeshighereducation.co.uk, he will take up his new post on 1 September following the retirement of Michael Wright. Dr Baker is a specialist in Eastern European languages and history, and was previously deputy director-general of the British Council.

At the University of Strathclyde, Tom Collins has been named director of marketing and development. A former editor of The Irish News, Mr Collins was named UK Regional Newspaper Editor of the Year in 1995, and in 2007 was appointed OBE for services to music in Northern Ireland. He joins Strathclyde from Queen's University Belfast, where he is director of marketing, recruitment and communications.

Mike Saks has been appointed provost of University Campus Suffolk, where he will work with the University of East Anglia, the University of Essex and other partners to lead the institution in its next stage of development. Professor Saks will join UCS from the University of Lincoln, where he played a key role in the 2008 research assessment exercise, which saw the university gain a sixfold increase in research income. He will take over from Bob Anderson as provost of UCS in May.

The chief financial officer at investment agency Scottish Enterprise has been appointed to the senior management team at the University of Strathclyde. Hugh Hall will join the institution in April as chief operating officer, working with David Coyle, the university's chief financial officer, to provide guidance to Strathclyde's eight corporate directorates. A former managing director of Audit Scotland and director of corporate services at Visit Scotland, Mr Hall was presented with the Public Sector Finance Director of the Year Award in 2009 following the Scottish Government's enterprise networks review.

A pro vice-chancellor at Newcastle University has been honoured by a Peruvian institution for his contribution to the sustainable management of water in the country. Paul Younger, pro vice-chancellor for engagement and professor of energy and environment, was presented with an honorary doctorate by the National University of St Augustine for his work on water supplies in the basin of the River Chili and other waterways affected by mining operations. A fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, Professor Younger is known for his work on the science and engineering of environmental sustainability.

The British Institute of International and Comparative Law has appointed Eva Lein as its new Herbert Smith senior research fellow in private international law. Dr Lein was formerly head of the continental law section and staff legal adviser at the Swiss Institute of Comparative Law. Her new role is funded by law firm Herbert Smith LLP, and will expand the institute's research and events programme in private international law.

A doctor who has played a substantial role in developing emergency medical care has become the first elected president of the International Federation for Emergency Medicine. Gautam Bodiwala, an honorary graduate, former member of council, clinical teacher and examiner at the University of Leicester, founded the organisation, which promotes the practice of emergency medicine across the globe. After working in countries including India, Hong Kong, Singapore and Uganda, in 1977 Dr Bodiwala was the first consultant appointed as a specialist in emergency care at Leicester Royal Infirmary. He remained head of the department for 25 years until his retirement, and was honoured by the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust in 2005, when the Gautam Bodiwala Emergency Department was named in recognition of his work.

Anna Cutler has been appointed Tate's first director of learning, with responsibility for establishing its new learning strategy. Ms Cutler joined the organisation in 2006 as head of learning at Tate Modern, and has also previously worked in various educational roles, including as a lecturer at the University of North London and director of the Young at Art festival in Northern Ireland. In her new role, Ms Cutler will be charged with developing a vision and structure for learning at both the Tate Modern and Tate Britain galleries.

Sir Drummond Bone has been appointed to the council of City University London. Previously vice-chancellor of the University of Liverpool and former president of Universities UK, Sir Drummond has also served as principal at Royal Holloway, University of London and pro vice-chancellor at the University of London. An expert on Lord Byron's work, Sir Drummond was knighted in 2008 for his services to higher education and the regeneration of the North West of England.

A young scientist at the University of Portsmouth has been presented with two awards in recognition of his research into cosmology. Kazuya Koyama, senior research fellow at Portsmouth's Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation, was presented with the 2010 Young Scientist Award by the Physical Society of Japan and the Philip Leverhulme Prize. The latter includes an award of £70,000, which will be used to fund a postdoctoral researcher to assist Dr Koyama in his work on extra-dimensional models of the Universe and challenging Einstein's theory of general relativity with observations from cosmology.

The vice-chancellor of the University of Hertfordshire, Tim Wilson, has announced his intention to retire after a bout of ill health. Since taking on the role in 2003, Professor Wilson has been a driving force behind the university's strategy to maintain a business-facing focus. He will step down in December after 19 years at the institution.