University of Sheffield appoints Professor Koen Lamberts as its next President and Vice-Chancellor

The University of Sheffield has announced the appointment of Professor Koen Lamberts as its next President and Vice-Chancellor. Professor Lamberts, an exceptional leader in higher education, is currently Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of York.

Prior to joining the University of York as Vice-Chancellor and President in 2014, Professor Lamberts was Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Provost of the University of Warwick. Professor Lamberts is a cognitive psychologist with an extensive track record in experimental and theoretical research on human perception and memory, for which he has been awarded prizes from the Experimental Psychology Society and the British Psychological Society.

Speaking of his appointment, Professor Koen Lamberts said: "I feel enormously privileged to be appointed President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sheffield.

"Sheffield is known across the world for the excellence, impact and distinctiveness of its research and teaching, and for being a university which speaks fearlessly for the value of international scholarship to transform lives for the better.

"I am committed to working with colleagues to further enhance Sheffield's reputation as a global university which strives to solve society's greatest challenges at the same time as upholding its proud history, guided by its founding principles.”

Professor Lamberts was born in Hasselt, Belgium, and undertook both his undergraduate and postgraduate studies at the University of Leuven, culminating in the award of his PhD in Psychology in 1992.

Professor Lamberts succeeds Professor Sir Keith Burnett, who is retiring at the end of September after a very successful decade as the University’s leader. The University’s Provost and Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Gill Valentine will be the interim Vice-Chancellor from 1 October 2018 until Professor Lamberts joins the University on 1 November 2018.

Professor Sir Keith Burnett said: "I am delighted that Professor Koen Lamberts will take up the role of President and Vice-Chancellor of this great University. In addition to his reputation as a scholar and educational leader, Koen has been a true advocate for the international community of scholars who together make such a profound difference for society here in the UK and around the world.

“He will lead an institution which is deeply committed to the public benefit of education and its power to transform people's lives. I could not be more pleased for the University and for him, and wish him the very best in his endeavours." 

Source: www.shef.ac.uk

Read more on the University of Sheffield website.