Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê

Professor Worton is an internationally regarded scholar of French literature and literary criticism, and has written extensively on French Literature, gender studies, art and critical theory. He has also been a longstanding champion of modern languages and the humanities in the higher education sector.

Professor Worton joined Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê in 1980, as a lecturer in French Language and Literature. He was made a Professor of French in 1994 and in the same year he was elected Dean of the Faculty of Arts, before being appointed as Vice Provost (Academic) in 1998, a role that was expanded to include international affairs in 2004.

He was instrumental in establishing the Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê Academy which opened in 2012, the first school in England with a university as sole sponsor. In addition, Professor Worton led the negotiations that saw Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê establishing its very first overseas campuses, in Australia and Qatar, as well as its ongoing partnership with Nazarbayev University in Kazakhstan.

In 2011, Professor Worton was awarded the rank of Chevalier of the Order of the Légion d'Honneur by the Prime Minister of France at a reception in Paris.

Professor Malcolm Grant, Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê Provost and President, said: "Michael Worton is the epitome of a fine Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê colleague, widely admired and affectionately regarded. His achievements for Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê have been truly outstanding, both at home and abroad. He has led our international programme, as well as our pioneering work in global citizenship.

"He has also made major contributions to higher education more generally, notably as higher education adviser to the British Council and through his seminal report on modern languages for the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE)."

Professor Worton said: "The past 33 years at Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê have been marvellous for me. I have been very fortunate to work for empowering leaders and with inspiring colleagues in a university which is constantly redefining what a university can and should be in the 21st century.

"We have achieved a lot in my time at Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê and I know that much, much more will be achieved in the next, 5, 10, 20 years. But I shall be an admiring spectator from the sidelines from 30 September onwards, when I retire to focus on personal, family priorities."

Professor Michael Worton, Vice Provost (International) and Fielden Professor of French, is to retire at the end of September 2013 after 33 years at Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê.

Image: Professor Michael Worton at the Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê event 'Religion in education: Towards division or inspiration?' in 2011.

Links:

• Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê International Strategy