The University of Birmingham has appointed a new Provost and Vice-Principal as well as two new Pro-Vice-Chancellors to help drive forward the University’s strategic plan.

Professor Adam Tickell has been appointed Provost and Vice-Principal, Professor Jeff Bale has been appointed Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Education and Professor Malcolm Press has been appointed Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research and Knowledge Transfer; all are currently at the University of Birmingham.

Professor Adam Tickell will succeed Professor Michael Sheppard who retires from the University on 30th September 2013. 

Professor Tickell joined the University in February 2011 as Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research and Knowledge Transfer.  During his tenure he has seen the University’s research grant capture increase by more than 50% and driven forward its strategy and preparations for the Research Excellence Framework (REF).  Professor Tickell brings a wealth of leadership excellence in Higher Education having held the role of Vice-Principal, Research, Enterprise and Communications at Royal Holloway, University of London, as well as senior posts at the universities of Bristol and Southampton.   He is currently a member of the Research Sector Transparency Board and on the Council of the Academy of Social Sciences.

Professor Malcolm Press replaces Professor Tickell as Pro-Vice-Chancellor Research and Knowledge Transfer. Professor Press is currently Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Head of College of Life and Environmental Sciences at the University of Birmingham. He is also responsible for the University’s international engagement in the Americas and is Director of the Institute of Advanced Studies. He is currently a Trustee of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and Deputy Chair of the Biological Science 2013 REF Panel, he is also Past-President of the British Ecological Society and a former member of Council of the National Trust.

Professor Press previously held posts at UCL, Manchester and Sheffield, where he held a Chair in Ecology as well as the post of Head of the Department of Animal and Plant Sciences and Director of Research for the Environment. 

Professor Jeff Bale replaces Professor Karen O’Brien as Pro-Vice-Chancellor Education, overseeing the University's educational agenda. Professor Bale was previously Deputy Pro-Vice-Chancellor Education at the University. 

Professor Bale joined the University of Birmingham in 1992 as Professor of Environmental Biology and has also held posts at the University of Leeds, and as a visiting Professor at the State University of New York at Binghamton and at the University of Rennes.  Professor Bale is a QAA Institutional Reviewer and is one of NERC's ‘Pool of Chairs’ who chair the Council's Grants Panels.

For further information please contact Jo Kite, Head of Communications, University of Birmingham on 0121 4146681 or email the Press Office