Keele University has named its next Vice-Chancellor, as staff take strike action over controversial plans to merge two academic schools.
Professor Kevin Shakesheff, currently Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research and Innovation at the Open University, will take up the post on 1 September. He will succeed Professor Trevor McMillan OBE, who is retiring after a decade in the role.
The announcement comes amid industrial action on campus as members of the University and College Union (UCU) take five days of strike action in response to what the union described as a ‘brutal cuts programme’. The university proposes to merge the school of humanities and school of social sciences and reduce academic staffing in the newly merged school by £1.85 million, equivalent to around 24 full time equivalent jobs.
Professor Shakesheff, who will be Keele’s eighth Vice-Chancellor, began his career as a pharmacist, completing his undergraduate and PhD studies at the University of Nottingham before a postdoctoral fellowship at MIT in the United States. He returned to Nottingham in 1997 as an EPSRC Advanced Fellow and went on to become Pro Vice-Chancellor with responsibility for the Faculty of Science and civic engagement.
At the Open University, he has overseen research, enterprise and scholarship, educational technology and business development. He has also chaired the National Centre for Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs), co-founded the regenerative medicine company Locate Bio Ltd and was a director of the science incubator BioCity Ltd. He has been a prominent figure in public engagement with science, including founding the Nottinghamshire Festival of Science and Curiosity.
Professor Shakesheff said: “I am delighted to be joining Keele University as the new Vice-Chancellor.
“Keele has a well-deserved reputation for excellence in both teaching and research which is renowned throughout the academic world and across the region, and I am thrilled at the opportunity to lead this historic institution.
“With its pioneering work in sustainability, research, and civic engagement, and with gold standard teaching, I’m privileged to be joining Keele and look forward to working with colleagues to drive this excellent university forward.”
Mike Farrar CBE, Keele University’s Pro Chancellor and Chair of Council, added: “We’re thrilled to announce Professor Kevin Shakesheff’s appointment as our new Vice-Chancellor. His strong background as a leader in both research and industry mean he is well-equipped to handle the challenges of leading a forward-thinking, progressive, impactful university like Keele, and I look forward to welcoming him to his new role later this year.”
The industrial action follows a ballot that saw a turnout of 55 per cent, with 75 per cent of participating UCU members voting in favour of striking and 89 per cent backing action short of a strike.
A spokesperson for Keele University said the institution was facing ‘financial challenges’ in line with pressures being felt across the UK higher education sector, due to increased competition for recruiting UK students and an ‘unpredictable international student recruitment landscape’.
They said: “Around five per cent of our workforce have voted for strike action and we recognise that any potential staff losses cause uncertainty and worry for staff and students, but we need to act to protect the university’s long-term future, and ensure that we continue to provide a first class education experience for students and deliver world class research.
“Throughout the period of strike action our priority is to minimise, as much as we can, the potential negative impact on and disruption for our students. We remain committed to ensuring the best outcomes and experience for our students and to keeping students properly informed, and we will do everything possible to fulfil this commitment throughout this period of action.”
