15 February 2006
Professor Eastwood appointed Chief Executive of HEFCE
Professor David Eastwood, Vice-Chancellor of the University of East Anglia, has been appointed Chief Executive of the Higher Education Funding Council for England. He takes up the post on 1 September 2006.
Before taking up his current position, Professor Eastwood was Chief Executive of the Arts and Humanities Research Board. Previously he held a Chair in Modern History at the University of Wales Swansea, where he was also head of department, dean and pro-vice-chancellor. While at Swansea he co-founded the National Centre for Public Policy.
He was fellow and senior tutor of Pembroke College (1988-95), and is now an Honorary Fellow of St Peter's College, Oxford, from where he graduated in 1980.
Mr David Young, Chairman of HEFCE, said:
'We are delighted to have appointed such a talented and experienced individual. I have every confidence that David Eastwood will lead the Council with distinction through a challenging period for higher education.'
Professor Eastwood said:
'I am delighted to be joining HEFCE and look forward to playing a role in the strategic leadership of higher education in what promises to be an unusually exciting and challenging period.'
Higher Education Minister Bill Rammell said:
'I welcome Professor Eastwood to his new post. He has a distinguished record both as an academic and as a university administrator.
'This is a time of tremendous opportunity and challenge for higher education. The Government has reversed the long-term decline in institutions' finances, and society expects results in return. Professor Eastwood will play a pivotal role in ensuring this happens, and I wish him all the best.'
Other biographical information
Professor Eastwood has served on many national bodies and committees. Since 2005 he has chaired the 1994 Group of Research-Intensive Universities, and Universities UK's Longer Term Strategy Group. He has been a member of the HEFCE Research Committee since 2003 and its Chair since 2005. He was appointed to the HEFCE Board in 2005.
He is Chair of the QAA Steering Group for Benchmarking and a member of the QAA Board. He is a Commissioner for the Marshall Aid Commemoration Commission and chairs the Association of the Universities of the East of England. Since 1991 Professor Eastwood has been a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, serving as its Literary Director from 1994-2000 and as chair of its Studies in History Board from 2000-04.
Professor Eastwood is married with three children. He enjoys music, politics, walking, sport and good wine; and includes writing on football among his many publications.
Notes
1. The Higher Education Funding Council for England is responsible for distributing over £6 billion in public funding each year to support learning and teaching, research and related activities in English universities and colleges.
2. Professor Eastwood will take over from Acting Chief Executive Steve Egan, former Director of Finance and Corporate Resources at HEFCE. Steve Egan has been in post since 1 February when Sir Howard Newby left HEFCE to become Vice-Chancellor of the University of the West of England.