UCL appoints Dr Michael Spence as new President and Provost

University of Sydney, New South Wales

Source: Wikimedia Commons

University of Sydney’s Michael Spence will be succeeding Professor Michael Arthur as UCL Provost in 2021.

Dr Michael Spence, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sydney, was announced as the next President & Provost of UCL on 18th February. He will succeed Professor Michael Arthur, who is leaving the role of Provost after seven years. Dr Spence will begin at UCL in January 2021, concluding his 12-year term as Vice-Chancellor at the University of Sydney.

UCL and the University of Sydney have a long-standing association, and both rank among the top research universities in the world.

Dr Spence was appointed Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sydney in July 2008, and has since led the institution through a number of changes, including significant modernisation, greater investment in multidisciplinary research, and partnerships with industry, government and community organisations. The university has grown in both size and status, and is now one of the top universities in Australia for graduate employability. 

Dr Spence’s work at the University of Sydney also includes raising one billion Australian dollars through the INSPIRED campaign. The largest philanthropic effort in Australian history, it raised funds to support causes such as cancer research, food security and species conservation, and provides educational opportunities for thousands of new and existing students. 

Integrating greater diversity and inclusion – especially of indigenous Australia – into the university’s culture stands as a particular source of pride for the Vice-Chancellor.

Dr Michael Spence

Source: UCL News

UCL’s Chair of Council, Victor Chu, praised Dr Spence as “one of the most outstanding university leaders in the world,” adding that the council was “impressed by his unique achievements and track record.”

A legal scholar, Dr Spence has gained international recognition in the field of intellectual property theory. This is the second time he holds a leadership position at a top UK university, having previously worked as head of the Social Sciences Division of the University of Oxford.

Dr Spence will be replacing Professor Michael Arthur, who has held the position of UCL President & Provost for seven years. Under Professor Arthur’s leadership, UCL has risen through university rankings to become one of the top institutions in the UK and worldwide. He has overseen a significant refurbishment programme, and an expansion of UCL’s student numbers and research activities. However, he has also endured criticism, particularly from those unhappy with his alleged ‘top-down’ management of the university.

Dr Spence will be taking on a number of challenges leading UCL into the future. One challenge is the construction of UCL’s new campus, UCL East, where concerns have been raised in relation to the planned expansion and issues with funding. Dr Spence will also have to contend with calls for the new Provost to listen to academics in shaping how UCL is run.

The incoming Provost expressed his excitement at joining UCL, saying he was thrilled to be part of “a remarkable institution” and emphasizing its “important role in a time of great change for the UK and wider world.”