Dr John Kirkland – biography

Dr John Kirkland is Deputy Secretary General of the Association of Commonwealth Universities. He is also Executive Secretary of the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK, and Executive Secretary of the Marshall Aid Commemoration Commission, both of which are administered by the ACU.

John has extensive research management experience and has led a number of projects designed to support the strengthening of research capacity in African universities. He has also established programmes and networks for university staff in other key areas, including libraries, human resource management, PR/communications, and extension work. He has also undertaken research and consultancy projects for bodies including AUSAID, Carnegie Corporation of New York, Commonwealth Secretariat, DFID, European Commission and the World Bank.

Prior to joining the ACU, John was Secretary of the UK National Institute for Economic and Social Research from 1994-1999, and prior to this was Director of the Research Services Bureau at Brunel University from 1988-1994. He also obtained his doctorate from Brunel in 1989. John was appointed Visiting Professor at the University of the West of England in 2008.