Dear colleagues,
I am delighted to announce that Professor Stuart Corbridge, Professor of International Development and Pro-Director for Research, has been appointed Provost and Deputy Director of LSE. He will begin this new role at the start of Michaelmas Term.
As the position of Pro-Director for Research will become vacant the process of seeking nominations and applications is being initiated. Please encourage the interest of appropriate colleagues (and note that I am especially interested in strong female candidates as our otherwise excellent Directorate is regrettably all male).
More on the Deputy Director:
This appointment follows an active search with a range of excellent internal and external candidates. While we were fortunate to have an extremely strong field, this made the task of selection more challenging. I would like to express my gratitude to all those who applied, to those who made time to meet candidates, and especially to the selection panel: Professors Tim Allen, Oriana Bandiera, Simon Hix, Janet Hunter and David Stevenson, and Virginia Beardshaw representing Council with the support of School Secretary Susan Scholefield.
As I explained in early May and as the title implies, the Deputy Director will work closely with the Director across a range of areas but also have authority for independent action in faculty career and related departmental matters. The heart of the Deputy's specific responsibilities will lie in working with established committees and the heads of departments to help the School maintain a strong faculty. Issues range from recruitment, through promotion, retention, and responding to both external market pressures and the need for internal equity. In addition, the Deputy Director will play a leading role in implementing new programmes and initiatives, and deputise for me as needed both in representational activities and in leadership of DMT. Working with the pro-Directors, the Deputy will take the lead in integrating our work on research, teaching, and other aspects of LSE life.
Professor Corbridge has been at LSE since 2001, having previously taught at the University of Cambridge. He has served as Head of the International Development Department. His academic research focuses on governance issues in eastern India, the political economy of international development, and the history of development thought. He is the author of numerous and widely cited articles and books, including most recently India Today: Economy, Politics, and Society (2012).
Please join me in wishing Stuart well – and also in helping to make his leadership maximally effective for LSE.
Best wishes,
Professor Craig Calhoun
Director