University's man for millennium

George Bain, principal of the London Business School, has been appointed vice-chancellor of Queen's University, Belfast.

Professor Bain, 58, a Canadian, said he was "delighted" and was looking forward enormously to taking up his post next year when the current vice- chancellor, Sir Gordon Beveridge, retires.

Professor Bain has an international reputation in labour relations, involving arbitration, conciliation and mediation. He has served on a number of government bodies both in Canada and the UK and was recently appointed chairman of the Low Pay Commission.

John McGuckian, senior pro-chancellor of Queen's, said the university was very pleased with the appointment. "He is the ideal vice-chancellor to lead Queen's into the next millennium." The Student Union also welcomed the announcement: "The appointment of a chief executive of this calibre to steer the university into the next century is a defining moment," a spokesman said.

Kate Watson-Smyth