City St George’s, University of London has begun the search for a new president, replacing Anthony Finkelstein who is stepping down when his six-year term ends.  

After becoming president in June 2021, the UK government’s former chief scientific adviser oversaw the merger of City, University of London and medical school St George’s.

One of the biggest coming-togethers of its kind in the sector, the newly formed City St George’s has become one of the biggest healthcare education institutions in the capital, and one of the largest universities in London more widely.

An outspoken university leader, Finkelstein has advocated for universities to become more involved in defence work and questioned the endurance of three-year degrees during his time in charge.

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Earlier this year he criticised the “quiet disappearance” of sex as a recorded variable from academic studies, backing the findings of a government-commissioned review by UCL professor Alice Sullivan that examined how sex and gender are captured in publicly funded research.

Finkelstein has not confirmed an official end date for his presidency but the search for his replacement has begun.

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A job advert promoted by executive search firm Perrett Laver says: “As Professor Sir Anthony Finkelstein’s outstanding six-year term as president comes to an end, we are seeking a new president to lead City St George’s at a pivotal moment in our history and in an increasingly challenging higher education environment.”

It says the next president of the university should have a “foundation of financial stability” and will “shape the future of a university with a clear and distinctive purpose and cement our position as the university of business, practice, and the professions”.

It outlines that the university is seeking a candidate who “combines profound academic vision with the strategic acumen and management expertise to lead a complex, multi-school institution”. The successful applicant will “possess the credibility to bring our academic community together through significant change, working in partnership with staff, students, and council to set clear priorities and build a culture of shared accountability and high performance”.

Finkelstein was also previously the chair in software systems engineering at UCL, and before that he was dean of the UCL Faculty of Engineering Sciences and head of UCL computer science.

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juliette.rowsell@timeshighereducation.com