New Pro-Rector announced

New senior medical leadership positions have been announced in a bid to strengthen integration with the UK’s first Academic Health Science Centre (AHSC). Professor Stephen Smith, Principal of the Faculty of Medicine and Chief Executive of the Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, is to become Pro Rector (Health) and combine his roles. Professor Smith formed the AHSC in 2007 by leading the integration of College and the NHS Trust. He is also the Founding Dean of the Nanyang Technological University Medical School, Imperial’s campus in Singapore. Responsibilities of the new role include managing Imperial’s strategic opportunities in health science research and education across the world.

The AHSC is a partnership intended to transform the health and quality of life of patients by integrating healthcare research, teaching and clinical care. The Imperial College NHS Trust is supported by the National Institute for Health Research through its Biomedical Research Center designation. Plans to extend the AHSC to form an Academic Health Science System (AHSS) are under way, and this will be chaired by the rector of Imperial College, Sir Keith O’Nions, who said, “building on the success of our original AHSC model, which ties together teaching, research and healthcare through integrated leadership and governance, we are making governance changes to become more inclusive and that will open doors to other potential associates in the AHSS.”

Additionally, Professor Jeff Magee, currently Head of the Department of Computing, and Deputy Principal (Research), has been appointed Principal of the Faculty of Engineering and will commence his role in January 2011. With over 30 years experience in the field of Computer Science research and extensive work with BP, BT, Barclays Capital and others under his belt, he will lead the Faculty of Engineering’s activities and be a member of the senior decision-making body of the College.

Professor Magee will succeed Professor Stephen Richardson, Principal and Deputy Rector since November 2009. Sir Keith O’Nions welcomed the appointment and said, “this is a demanding job, requiring great energy and vision, but over his time at Imperial Jeff has demonstrated these qualities many times over. It is with great confidence and pleasure that we welcome him to his new role.”

In response to his appointment to the role, Professor Magee said, “the Faculty of Engineering at Imperial has a world-leading breadth and depth of engineering expertise and talent. It is a very great honour and privilege to be appointed its Principal, a great opportunity to facilitate the application of its engineering expertise to the serious problems that face our society and a great personal challenge to live up to the record of my predecessor.”

Regarding the senior medical leadership positions, Professor Jenny Higham, Director of Education for the Faculty of Medicine, said, “this is an exciting and challenging time for Imperial’s Faculty of Medicine. I look forward to working closely with others to ensure our continued success in research, education and translation, both in London and with our international partners.”