Warwick's Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Professor Mark Smith, has been appointed as the new Vice-Chancellor of Lancaster University. His appointment was announced following a meeting of Lancaster University's Council on the evening of Thursday 4 August. He will take up the post in January 2012.

Professor Mark Smith said:

This has been a very difficult decision for me to leave such a great institution as Warwick, but the chance to take up the role of Vice Chancellor at a university of Lancaster’s calibre was one I could not miss. Warwick has been a genuine pace setter in the sector for many years and I am very fortunate to have worked under the inspirational leadership of Warwick’s Vice-Chancellor Nigel Thrift which continues to make Warwick one of the UK’s most innovative and inspiring Universities."

Warwick’s Vice-Chancellor Professor Nigel Thrift said:

I am personally delighted for Mark. This year also saw Warwick's Professor Richard Higgott appointed as the Vice Chancellor of Murdoch University in Australia. The strength and global reputation of Warwick is clearly demonstrated by how many of our staff are being sought after as potential Vice-Chancellors. I am particularly pleased to note that both Mark and Richard are taking on their new roles while maintaining an active research career thereby affirming one of Warwick’s core values that good research underpins both good teaching and academic leadership."