Appointments

Sir Roderick Floud, dean of the School of Advanced Studies at the University of London and president emeritus of London Metropolitan University, has been appointed provost of Gresham College. The college, founded in 1597 via a bequest from Sir Thomas Gresham, the founder of the Royal Exchange, provides free public lectures. Sir Roderick was provost of London Guildhall University when it merged with the University of North London to form London Metropolitan and is a former president of Universities UK. He is also vice-president of the European University Association.

Ann Colley, professor of psychology at the University of Leicester, has been appointed the British Psychological Society's new chief executive from September. She was previously president of the society and has also served as general secretary. She succeeds Tim Cornford.

Paul O'Prey, vice-chancellor of Roehampton University, has announced the appointment of Sir David Bell as new chair of council. A director of educational publisher Pearson since 1996, he is chairman of the Financial Times and a non-executive director at The Economist.

The University of Southampton has appointed Jessica Corner head of the School of Health Sciences. A professor of cancer and palliative care at Southampton, she has spent the past three years as director for improving cancer services for Macmillan Cancer Support. She will retain her role as chief clinician. Professor Corner, who is known for developing a non-drug approach to managing the symptoms of breathlessness by helping people to use breathing control techniques to overcome the fear associated with the condition, looks forward to tackling the challenges of UK healthcare in the five-year role. She said: "It is an exciting time for healthcare in the UK as we look to address future challenges of people more actively managing their own health, and the need to provide radically different support to people with long-term health conditions."

The Ministry of Justice has appointed a team of academics to scrutinise the "no win, no fee" arrangements in England and Wales. The scholars will examine whether such deals genuinely offer access to justice and operate in the public interest. Paul Fenn of the University of Nottingham Business School, Richard Moorhead of Cardiff University and Neil Rickman from the University of Surrey will look at the conditional and contingency fees involved in "no win, no fee" cases, assessing whether they are too expensive for clients.

Anglia Ruskin University has appointed a new professor of aesthetic plastic surgery. James Frame will lead and develop research interests as part of the new Postgraduate Medical Institute. Professor Frame is the director of aesthetic plastic surgery practice at Springfield Hospital and is a consultant plastic surgeon specialising in aesthetic and reconstructive surgery after ablative cancer therapy or traumatic injury.

Stephen Morley of the University of Leeds is to receive the 2008 M. B. Shapiro Award - named after the renowned clinical psychologist - from the British Psychological Society's Division of Clinical Psychology. Professor Morley's career has taken him from work as an academic and a clinician in the National Health Service to editor of the British Journal of Clinical Psychology and to the current chair of the British Psychological Society's journals committee. One of the late Monte Shapiro's last trainees, Professor Morley will give his award lecture at the Division of Clinical Psychology's annual conference in December.

Clive Orchard, the head of the University of Bristol's department of physiology and pharmacology, has been appointed dean of the faculty of medical and veterinary sciences. He joined the university in 2005 as head of the department of physiology, which later merged with the department of pharmacology. Professor Orchard will replace Len Hall, the current dean, who has been appointed pro vice-chancellor with responsibilities for personnel and staff development.

Alison Strath, principal pharmaceutical officer with the Scottish Government Health and Wellbeing Directorate, has been appointed chair of community pharmacy practice at The Robert Gordon University. She has been responsible for implementing the community pharmacy side of the Scottish Government's The Right Medicine strategy. She will work closely with the National Health Service Education for Scotland and other higher education institutions to promote changes in pharmacy education.

Karen Bill, associate dean at the School of Sport, Performing Arts and Leisure at the University of Wolverhampton, has been made an entrepreneurship education fellow by the National Council for Graduate Entrepreneurship. The fellowships are designed to help create a network of expertise to develop entrepreneurship teaching at higher and further education institutions. Ms Bill said: "To compete in today's jobs market, graduates not only need their academic knowledge but must also be enterprising. I am optimistic that these awards will provide a catalyst in contributing to the further development and growth of entrepreneurial universities."

The University of Reading has appointed Simon Martin professor in real estate finance. He joins from the global real estate fund management company Curzon Global Partners/AEW Europe, where he has led European research and strategy as a managing director since 1999. He will remain at the firm as a non-executive senior adviser.

At Leeds Metropolitan University, Elspeth Jones, dean of the Leslie Silver International Faculty, has been awarded a personal professorship in the internationalisation of higher education, while Rachael Dixey has been awarded a professorship in health promotion. Professor Jones's background is in applied linguistics and teaching English as a foreign language. Professor Dixey joined Leeds Met in 1991, is currently head of the Health Promotion Group and has previously undertaken work in public health, childhood obesity and child safety.

Christopher Millard has been appointed the new chair of privacy and information law at Queen Mary, University of London, from September. Currently a visiting professor at Queen Mary, he has been teaching on a part-time basis since 1986. He is a partner in the technology and media telecommunications group at Linklaters law firm and cites the study of recent changes to information and privacy law as interesting elements of his academic role.