David Bell (university administrator)

Sir David Robert Bell KCB DL (born March 1959) is a public policy analyst who is Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of the University of Sunderland. He was previously Vice-Chancellor of the University of Reading for six years. Prior to that, he was Permanent Secretary at the Department for Education and its predecessor departments from January 2006 until 2012. Before that he was Chief Inspector of Schools at the Office for Standards in Education from 2002.

Sir David Bell
KCB DL
Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sunderland
Assumed office
24 September 2018
Preceded byShirley Atkinson
Vice-Chancellor of the University of Reading
In office
2012 – September 2018
Preceded byTony Downes (acting)
Succeeded byRobert Van de Noort
Permanent Secretary of the Department for Education[lower-alpha 1]
In office
January 2006 – September 2012
Preceded byDavid Normington
Succeeded byTom Jeffery (acting)
Chief Inspector of Ofsted
In office
1 May 2002 – 2006
Preceded byMike Tomlinson
Succeeded byMaurice Smith (acting)
Personal details
Born1959 (age 63–64)
Alma materUniversity of Glasgow
Jordanhill College of Education (PGCE)

Early life and career

Bell studied history and philosophy at Glasgow University and obtained his Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) from Jordanhill College of Education. He also has a Master of Education degree in management and administration from Glasgow University. Bell then held teaching posts at primary schools in Glasgow, moving on to become a deputy head, and then a headteacher at Kingston Primary School, in Thundersley, Essex.[1]

Educational administration

In 1990, Bell became assistant director of education at Newcastle City Council. During this time he spent a year as a Harkness Fellow at Georgia State University, Atlanta, studying education and local government reform across the United States of America. Bell trained as an Ofsted team inspector in 1993. He became a Registered Inspector in 1994 and carried out inspections in primary schools. He was promoted to director of education and libraries at Newcastle City Council in 1995 and became chief executive of Bedfordshire County Council in 2000.[1]

Educational standards

Bell took up his post as Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools on 1 May 2002.[2][3] He was Chief Inspector for over three years and, in January 2006, he became Permanent Secretary at the Department for Education and Skills, named the Department for Children, Schools and Families from June 2007, and then the Department for Education from May 2010.[4]

University of Reading
Bell faces student protests

In September 2012,[5] Bell left the civil service to become the vice-chancellor of the University of Reading. He succeeded Acting Vice-Chancellor Tony Downes.[6]

In 2016 a move to reorganise the structure of Reading University provoked student protests.[7] On 21 March 2016, staff announced a vote of no confidence in Bell,[8] the no-confidence motion being backed by 88% of those who voted.[9]

Bell left the University of Reading in September 2018 and was succeeded by Robert Van de Noort as acting vice-chancellor.[10] Bell had left "under a cloud", according to Times Higher Education[11] when it emerged that Reading had returned a £20 million deficit, largely because of its Malaysia campus.

University of Sunderland

Bell began his new role as Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of the University of Sunderland on 24 September 2018.[5] He announced the closure of history, politics, modern languages and public health courses, and of research in those fields, on 13 January 2020.[12]

Honours

Bell was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in the 2011 Birthday Honours[13] and a Deputy Lieutenant of Tyne & Wear in 2020.[14]

Notes
  1. Known as the Department for Education and Skills from 2001 to 28 June 2007 and the Department for Children, Schools and Families from 28 June 2007 to 2010.

References
  1. A & C Black (2015). "BELL, Sir David (Robert)". Who's Who 2016. Oxford University Press. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  2. "David Bell – Permanent Secretary, Department for Children, Schools and Families". UK Civil Service. Archived from the original on 18 July 2011. Retrieved 14 August 2010.
  3. "University welcomes new Vice-Chancellor". University of Reading. 4 January 2012. Archived from the original on 23 December 2012. Retrieved 4 January 2012.
  4. "David Bell Named as new Permanent Secretary at Department for Education and Skills". Department for Children, Schools and Families. Retrieved 14 August 2010.
  5. "Our new Vice-Chancellor". The University of Sunderland. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  6. "University of Reading appoints Permanent Secretary for Education as new Vice-Chancellor". University of Reading Press Releases. Archived from the original on 8 September 2012. Retrieved 10 December 2011.
  7. Hyde, Nathan John (22 March 2016). "Cost-cutting review slammed by University of Reading student". getreading. Archived from the original on 10 March 2016. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  8. Hyde, Nathan. "University of Reading vice chancellor faces vote of no confidence". getreading. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
  9. "'No confidence' in University of Reading vice-chancellor". BBC News. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
  10. "Professor Robert Van de Noort appointed as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Reading". Reading.co.uk. 26 February 2019. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
  11. Morgan, John (20 February 2019). "Tough at the top: v-cs who left under a cloud". Times Higher Education. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  12. "Announcing our career-focused curriculum". The University of Sunderland. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
  13. "No. 59808". The London Gazette (Supplement). 11 June 2011. p. 2.
  14. "Deputy Lieutenant Commissions". The Gazette. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
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