John Kirkland

Head of External Affairs

Research interests: 

John's career has combined senior management roles in higher education with the management of several major programmes.  His main policy interests include the management of research, international mobility in higher education, the impact of scholarship funding and higher education and development.  Management roles have included acting as Executive Secretary to the three main scholarship programmes of the UK government,  Deputy Secretary-General of the a major international higher education organisation and responsibility for the research portfolio of a UK university.  A qualified Company Secretary, he began his second stint at NIESR in 2018.  John was also awarded the Order of Officer of the British Empire in 2015, in recognition of his contribution to Commonwealth universities.

Education: 

PhD   -  Brunel University. 1989

MSc  -  Politics, Government and Modern History, Brunel University, 1980

Employment: 

2018           Chief Operating Officer, NIESR

2017-18     Senior Research Advisor, Wellcome Trust (and other consultancy work)

2007-17     Deputy Secretary-General, Association of Commonwealth Universities

1999-07     Director of Human Capacity Development, Association of Commonwealth Universities

1994-99     Company Secretary, NIESR

1988-94     Head of Research Services, Brunel University