PROF FERDINAND von Prondzynski, a former president of Dublin City University (DCU), has been appointed as principal and vice-chancellor of Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen, Scotland.
Robert Gordon University has been named as the top modern university in the UK in The Times Good University Guidefor the past three years. It was also named the Scottish University of the Year by The Sunday Times University Guidethis month.
Prof von Prondzynski stepped down from DCU in June. During his decade in charge research income at the college rose from €4 million in 2000 to about €45 million last year.
Prof von Prondzynski's daily blog ( universitydiary.wordpress.com) is the most popular education blog in the country. He also writes a weekly column on education for The Irish Times.
Prof von Prondzynski, who is expected to take up his new post in March, said yesterday: “I am delighted to be taking up this exciting appointment. Robert Gordon University has been one of higher education’s major success stories and is widely recognised for the excellence of its programmes and for its capacity to respond to the needs of students and of the wider society.”