Former Secretary of State for International Development named honorary professor

Former Secretary of State for International Development and MP for Sutton Coldfield, the Rt Hon Andrew Mitchell MP, has been appointed as Honorary Professor in the College of Social Sciences at the University of Birmingham.

Andrew Mitchell is a longstanding MP, having first entered the House of Commons in 1987. He held the position of Secretary of State for International Development from May 2010 until September 2012 and brings significant experience in this field.

As part of his honorary role, he will teach an undergraduate module on strategy and development, host debates, hold masterclasses for PhD students and be involved in University events and conferences including the University’s Foreign Aid Donors and Human Rights Conference.

Rt Hon Andrew Mitchell MP said:

“I am flattered to have been appointed to this position and look forward to making a modest contribution to the superb University of Birmingham.”

Professor Sir David Eastwood, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Birmingham said:

I am delighted to welcome Andrew to the University as an Honorary Professor. Andrew brings a unique perspective and his practical expertise complements the teaching delivered by our academics, giving our students a broader view on how to influence policy, operate internationally, and achieve wider impact.”

Professor Richard Black, Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Head of the College of Social Sciences said:

“The College of Social Sciences at Birmingham is committed to providing the best possible learning environment for our students. Providing access to professors of practice of Andrew’s calibre is a crucial part of this.

“Andrew has unrivalled experience at the heart of government, as well as a strong commitment to the West Midlands region and its universities.

“We are hugely grateful for his willingness to engage with our students and look forward to productive exchanges over the coming few years”.

The appointment will be for three years commencing on the 1st October. The role will not have an impact on his work in his Sutton Coldfield constituency.

For more information, please contact Dominic Benson, Deputy Director of Communications, University of Birmingham, on +44 (0) 121 414 5134, or contact the press office out of hours on +44 (0) 7789 921 165 or e-mail the Press Office.

• The University of Birmingham is ranked amongst the world’s top 100 institutions. Its work brings people from across the world to Birmingham, including researchers, teachers and more than 5,000 international students from over 150 countries.
• Andrew is the Member of Parliament for Sutton Coldfield.
• Andrew Mitchell was Secretary of State for International Development in the British Government from May 2010 until he became Government Chief Whip in September 2012. He was a member of the National Security Council in Britain and a Governor of the World Bank between 2010 and 2012. He was appointed to the Privy Council in 2010. Prior to joining the cabinet in 2010, he also held numerous junior positions in Government (1992-1997) and in opposition (2003-2010).
• Andrew Mitchell is a Senior Adviser to Investec (since 2013) and Ernst & Young (since 2016). In 2017 he was appointed as a Senior Adviser to the African Development Bank (AfDB). Previously he served in the Army (Royal Tank Regiment) as a UN Peacekeeper before joining the international Investment Bank, Lazard where he worked on and off for 30 years. He was a Director of Lazard Asia and Lazard India as well as of Lazard London.
• He is a fellow at Cambridge University; a Visiting Fellow at Harvard University and at the School of International Studies of Peking University; and a Honorary Professor in School of Social Sciences for the University of Birmingham.
• Andrew was educated at Rugby School and Cambridge University, where he was elected as President of the Cambridge Union.