Cumbria has given its top post to Peter Strike, currently deputy vice-chancellor (academic) at the University of Sunderland with responsibility for research, knowledge exchange and business engagement.

He is expected to start on 1 August, taking over from Graham Upton, who has been interim vice-chancellor at Cumbria since May 2010.

Professor Upton¡¯s appointment came after the sudden departure of the previous vice-chancellor, Peter McCaffery. He left after less than a year in the job, amid suggestions that he was ¡°mis-sold¡± the post by the university and not informed of the full extent of its financial problems.

At the time of his departure ¨C a decision taken by ¡°mutual consent¡± ¨C the university¡¯s deficit was expected to balloon to ?30 million.

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Cumbria was founded as a university in 2007, from the merger of several further education colleges across the region.

Professor Strike, who grew up in Cumbria, is a geneticist who has previously held senior posts at Northumbria, Edinburgh Napier and Liverpool universities.

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He said: ¡°Although the university itself is relatively new, many of its component parts have, for many years, played a major part in the cultural and economic life of the region. The challenge for me, and for my senior team, is to continue to build on this legacy, creating a vibrant institution of high academic merit that provides opportunities for all those who wish to benefit from the experience of higher education.¡±

Trevor Curnow, University and College Union branch chair, said that ¡°things are starting to look more stable and less panicky¡± at the university.

¡°What¡¯s very good about this appointment is that he is somebody with a background in Cumbria,¡± Dr Curnow said. ¡°There is a local connection and local enthusiasm that will go down well.¡±

john.morgan@tsleducation.com