University of the West of England

Gabriel Scally

The new director of the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Healthy Urban Environments at the University of the West of England said he was looking forward to "helping people live healthier lives in healthier communities". Gabriel Scally, who was previously regional director of public health for the South West region of England, began his new role this month. He has been responsible for a number of significant initiatives in the improvement of public health including Smokefree South West, Healthy Schools Plus and the South West Office for Sexual Health. His position at the centre, which works closely with local government, health bodies and planning organisations in the UK and internationally, will focus on the emerging field of healthy urban planning. "I am a passionate supporter of the NHS and am deeply involved in debates about public health issues, such as obesity and food culture, tobacco control and public health's impending transfer from the NHS to local government," he said. Professor Scally studied medicine at Queen's University Belfast and also gained an MSc in community medicine from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

University of Oxford

Peter Claus

Pembroke College, Oxford has appointed one of its senior academics to the new full-time post of access fellow. It is believed to be the first Oxford college to do so. Peter Claus, senior research fellow in history, has already featured in Times Higher Education because of his work at BSix Brooke House Sixth Form College in East London, where he teaches students applying for places at Russell Group universities. His newly created post will build on this work. In the role, Dr Claus will oversee and teach a year-long academic programme to high-achieving sixth-formers from Hackney schools and colleges at a venue in London's Canary Wharf. He will also oversee a similar programme at a number of schools and colleges in the North West of England. "I look forward to encouraging students who may benefit from the academic interventions that we offer, who would like to take a step beyond school-based learning and who relish the unfamiliar and want to take a trip beyond their comfort zone," he said. "With these new developments, our aim is for students to feel better prepared to make an application to Oxford or to other competitive universities."

Heriot-Watt University

Robert Craik

Robert Craik, previously deputy principal for learning and teaching at Heriot-Watt University, has been made chief executive and provost of the institution's new Malaysia campus. Professor Craik said he was "delighted" to be taking up his new position at such "an exciting time during Malaysia's drive for economic growth and development". In his previous role, he was responsible for leading and implementing the learning and teaching strategy for Heriot-Watt and for academic quality assurance, as well as a wider role in university management. In his new position, he will take charge of a campus of about 4,000 undergraduate, postgraduate and research students, giving them the opportunity to study a range of Heriot-Watt degree programmes in the fields of engineering, technology, business, finance and design. Professor Craik's association with Heriot-Watt goes back almost 40 years. After obtaining undergraduate and doctoral degrees from the institution, he remained as a postdoctoral student and was subsequently made a lecturer, reader and professor in the School of the Built Environment. He took up his deputy principal role in 2005. "We are committed to offering high-quality British education to students from Malaysia and across Asia," he added. "I am looking forward to establishing our ?35 million purpose-built campus, providing quality degrees to educate the next generation of leaders in a wide range of fields, and building education and research links around the region."

Liverpool Hope University

Tassilo Erhardt

The new head of music at Liverpool Hope University might have had a drastically different career path had he followed his original vocation to become a Benedictine monk. Tassilo Erhardt, who formed and is a part of Apollo and Pan - a group of young musicians who explore hitherto neglected works for violin and bassoon from the 17th and 18th centuries - spent nine years at school with Benedictine monks and resolved to become one himself. However, his career took an academic turn after he studied musicology at Utrecht University. Professor Erhardt later studied theology at St Benet's Hall, Oxford, under Dom Henry Wansbrough, who is coincidentally now professor of biblical studies at Liverpool Hope. "One rarely finds a place that encourages creative ambitions, academic rigour, and is, at the same time, carried by Christian values," Professor Erhardt said. "I have found it in Liverpool Hope University." He now has plans to launch a new programme in sacred music at the institution. Professor Erhardt obtained his PhD from Utrecht and his thesis was awarded the Erasmus Research Prize. His current research project investigates the sacred music of the Viennese imperial chapel master Antonio Bertali.

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Other changes

The University of Leicester has made a number of appointments. Alexandra Archibald, who recently completed her MSc at the University of Nottingham, has joined as enterprise and applications specialist. David Hopkins has joined the College of Social Science as learning technology assistant from Bournemouth University's Business School. Anne-Christine Witt has joined as lecturer in the School of Law. Dr Witt previously taught European Union law at the University of Kent, where she did her PhD. Rakesh Patel has been appointed a National Institute for Health Research academic clinical lecturer in medical education in the department of medical and social care education.

Roger Eccleston has been appointed the new pro vice-chancellor for the Faculty of Arts, Computing, Engineering and Sciences at Sheffield Hallam University. Professor Eccleston studied applied science at the institution in its former guise as Sheffield City Polytechnic, and worked there from 2004 to 2007 as director of the Materials and Engineering Research Institute. He returns from his most recent role as dean of the School of Science and Technology at Nottingham Trent University.

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The University of Glamorgan has appointed Donna Whitehead its new head of the School of Law, Accounting and Finance. Ms Whitehead, who formerly led the law team at the University of Sunderland, is a specialist in family law and holds the qualifications required to practise law in England, Wales and New York.

Steven Warburton has been appointed head of the department of technology-enhanced learning at the University of Surrey. He will promote the use of technology in supporting teaching across the faculties. Professor Warburton completed his first degree in applied zoology at the University College of North Wales (now Bangor University), before completing a PhD in neuroscience at the University of Nottingham.