Source: Sheffield Hallam University

Professor Jones has led Sheffield Hallam since 2007, following periods as deputy vice-chancellor and sub-warden of Durham University and as a pro vice-chancellor at the University of Sheffield.

¡°This is a big decision, and it¡¯s been hard,¡± he said. ¡°I have loved my time at Sheffield Hallam but in November I shall be 65, and so from a personal point of view, this feels like a good time to step down.¡±

He said the university was ¡°well on our way¡± to fulfilling the ambition he set out in 2007 for it to become a ¡°top 50¡± university.

¡°At that point we were 86th in the Sunday Times league table. We are now 62nd and should climb higher in the coming year. Teaching satisfaction was at 76 per cent; it is now 86 per cent.¡±

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He added that the institution¡¯s position in Times Higher Education¡¯s ranking of universities based on the results of the research excellence framework had improved from joint 88^th in 2008 to joint 63^rd in 2014.

Professor Jones also said that the university had ¡°maintained¡± its research power (the product of quality and volume measures) although its submission of only 16 per cent of its eligible staff was low even among post-1992 universities.

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¡°Sheffield Hallam remains one of the biggest universities in the UK and in high demand, with the fourth largest student population. And student satisfaction has risen from 83 to 86 per cent in the National Student Survey this year ¨C a 10 percentage point rise in just five years,¡± he added.

Geoff Dawson, chair of Sheffield Hallam¡¯s board of governors, said such results were the result of Professor Jones¡¯ ¡°vision and dedication¡±.

¡°It has been a great journey, and one that he can be rightly proud of,¡± he said.

paul.jump@tesglobal.com