Business school goes global

Newcastle University Business School has announced it has taken on around 20 new scholarly recruits from eight countries as it bids to increase its appeal to world-leading academics.

The recruitment of a new director of school, three professors, senior lecturers, and research associates has attracted new team members from Austria, China, Greece, Iran, India, Mauritius, and Estonia, as well as the UK.

Dr Colin Ashurst is the new director of learning and teaching, overseeing student recruitment on a local, national and international scale, alongside the management of teaching programmes and academics.

Joining from Durham University Business School, he has previously worked for Ernst and Young, Asda Stores Limited, and Microsoft, with a background in information systems, before his life in academia.

He said: “My priority is to develop a challenging and multicultural learning environment and for us to be regarded, around the world, as a great place to teach or be taught. We will focus on sharing good practice and innovation within the Business School and out into the business community at all levels, to help us achieve our aim of being regionally rooted, nationally influential, and globally respected.”

Professor Frank Mueller, from St Andrews joins the organisation as professor of strategy and international business management while Professor Markus Blut, from TU Dortmund, in Germany, has taken up his new role as professor of marketing.

“Attracting academics of this calibre is proof of the business school’s growing reputation and its global ambitions,” said Professor Chris Brink, vice-chancellor, Newcastle University.

Further appointments are expected in the New Year.