News | Friday, 18th December 2015
Lord Mandelson appointed Manchester Met Chancellor
Set to serve the University from April 2016
Manchester Metropolitan University’s Board of Governors today unanimously agreed to appoint Lord Mandelson to the role of Chancellor for a five-year term, in the first instance, from 1 April 2016, succeeding Dame Dianne Thompson DBE.
Lord Mandelson will be formally invested as Chancellor at a ceremony next year.
The role of Chancellor is to act as the most senior ambassador and ceremonial head of the University, promoting its mission, vision and values. Lord Mandelson will support the efforts of the University leadership team to be world-class providers of education and research, and to work in partnership with business, industry, public sector and university collaborators, as Manchester occupies an increasingly important place on the world stage.
Lord Mandelson has a distinguished track record. He is a former European Trade Commissioner and British First Secretary of State. Prior to this, he was Minister without Portfolio, Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, Northern Ireland Secretary and Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills in the British government. He is now a working peer in the House of Lords, President of the Policy Network think tank, chairman of Global Counsel, a consultancy and advisory business he co-founded in 2010 and a senior adviser to Lazard. He became President of the Great Britain China Centre in 2015.
Vanda Murray OBE, Pro-Chancellor and Chair of the Board, said: “We sought a Chancellor who is committed to excellence and who believes in the transformative power of education to change lives and benefit society. As a world-class statesman who has held the highest offices of state, Peter will bring immense expertise, knowledge and skill to enhance our relationships with business and international partners.”
Professor Malcolm Press, Vice-Chancellor, said: “We are delighted that Lord Mandelson has enthusiastically embraced this opportunity to be part of Manchester Metropolitan’s future. We are already in the global top 3% of universities and we play a vital role in transforming the lives of our students. We seek to build on our successes, strengthening our research, growing our links with business, and developing strong international partnerships. Peter will be enormously influential in all these regards. Regional devolution and the Northern Powerhouse agenda provide us with tremendous opportunities. We are committed not only to the success of our University, but to Manchester as a whole, working with our world-class partners here in the City and beyond to achieve this.”
Lord Mandelson said: “As a former Northern MP, I am strongly committed to the vision of Manchester Metropolitan University and to the changes Manchester is undergoing. The city has the vision, the professional organisation and teamwork to play a key role in radically reshaping Britain’s economy and political system. That was an important project for me in my time in government and so I am delighted to accept this offer to contribute further as the Chancellor of Manchester Metropolitan University. As a former EU Trade Commissioner, I look forward to enhancing the international relationships of Manchester Metropolitan and to working with the Vice-Chancellor and colleagues across the University to do this. It will be a great honour to be associated with such a successful, world-class university.”
Sir Howard Bernstein, Chief Executive, Manchester City Council, said: "I am very pleased that Peter has accepted the position at Manchester Metropolitan University and that he will be renewing his relationship with the City. Peter’s commitment to work with all stakeholders within the City and the wider region will play a large role in ensuring we achieve our full economic potential - an issue of national as well as local importance.”
