New Director of ICE announced as Dr James Gazzard

We are delighted to announce the appointment of James Gazzard as the next Director of the Institute of Continuing Education (ICE).

Jim is currently Professor of Workforce Futures and Associate Dean for Postgraduate Taught Courses, Enterprise and Engagement in the University of East Anglia’s Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. His academic expertise centres on supporting scientists and clinicians to become more innovative and entrepreneurial.

He has previously worked across the life science and medical sectors for leading organisations including The Royal Veterinary College, GlaxoSmithKline and the Medical Research Council where he founded and led a range of projects including graduate internship schemes, enterprise education courses, job rotation programmes and the commercialisation of new technologies.

Jim holds undergraduate and doctoral degrees in genetics, an MBA in entrepreneurship and a postgraduate certificate in higher education.

He said: “I am delighted and privileged to have been appointed as the Director of the Institute of Continuing Education. I am relishing the opportunity to build on its heritage as a pioneer of high quality adult education.

“The field of lifelong learning is at a fascinating stage, and ICE has a significant role to play in its future. Personal enrichment learning and professional studies have never been more important as we all try to make sense of the rapidly changing and complex environments in which we live and work.

“There is now far less emphasis in adult education on providing information and facts – which are only a click of a smartphone or tablet away. Instead the focus over the coming years will be forming networks of learners, drawn from all parts of the community, which think about and use knowledge in novel and exciting ways.

“ICE, as a central part of the University of Cambridge, is superbly placed to support these emerging types of adult education.”

Jim will take up his appointment at ICE on 4 April 2016.

ICE would like to express its thanks to Professor Sir Mike Gregory for acting as Director since September. His support, expertise and enthusiasm have been invaluable.