* Ben Kneller, has been appointed reader in Aberdeen University's department of geology and petroleum geology. He was previously at the University of California.

* The Scottish University for Industry has appointed to its board: William Allan, managing director, Alfred McAlpine Business Services; Brian Curle, former managing director of Renshaw Scott; Asif Haseeb, senior manager with Audit Scotland; Patricia McNeill, owner of Talkback; Ralph Palmer, former finance director of the UHI Millennium Institute; John Ramsay, former chief executive of Cogent; William Stevely, principal and vice-chancellor of Robert Gordon University; and Jayne Stuart, director of Learning Link Scotland.

* John Watson, professor and a fellow of the Institution of Electrical Engineers, has been appointed head of the School of Engineering at Robert Gordon University.

* University College Northampton has appointed Mark Ferguson, former editor of Footwear Business International , and Claire Bicknell, former press officer for Dogs Trust, press and public relations officers.

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* Alan Cain, former director of the international office at Cardiff University, has been appointed marketing director of Anglia Polytechnic University.

* Ellen Hurwitz, higher education and administration specialist, has been appointed president of the American University, Central Asia, replacing David Huwiler, new president of the American University, Nigeria.

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* Stuart Lyon, senior lecturer in the School of Materials, Manchester University, has been appointed president of the Institute of Corrosion.