Malcolm Grant

{{Infobox officeholder

| honorific_prefix = Sir

| name = Malcolm Grant

| image = Malcolm Grant 2007.jpg

|honorific-suffix = CBE FAcSS

| title = Chairman of NHS England

| term_start = 19 October 2011

| term_end = 30 October 2018

| predecessor = Office established

| successor = The Lord Prior of Brampton

| title2 = Chancellor of the University of York

| term_start2 = 27 October 2015

| term_end2 = Summer 2022

| predecessor2= Greg Dyke

| successor2 = Heather Melville

| title3 = President and Provost of University College London

| term_start3 = 1 August 2003

| term_end3 = 1 September 2013

| predecessor3= Sir Derek Roberts

| successor3 = Michael Arthur

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1947|11|29|df=y}}

| birth_place = Oamaru, New Zealand

| alma_mater = University of Otago

}}

Sir Malcolm John Grant, {{post-nominals|country=GBR|CBE}}, {{small|FAcSS}} (born 29 November 1947){{cite web |url=http://www.debretts.com/people/biographies/search/results/11881/Malcolm%20John%20GRANT.aspx |title=Prof Malcolm Grant, CBE Authorised Biography – Debrett's People of Today, Prof Malcolm Grant, CBE Profile |accessdate=23 December 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120815031041/http://www.debretts.com/people/biographies/search/results/11881/Malcolm%20John%20GRANT.aspx |archive-date=15 August 2012 }} is a barrister, academic lawyer, and former law professor.{{cite web|url=https://www.england.nhs.uk/about/whos-who/|title=Who's who – the NHS England board|publisher=NHS England|accessdate=20 August 2015}} Born and educated in New Zealand, he was the ninth President and Provost of University College London – the head as well as principal academic and administrative officer of the university – for over a decade from 2003 until 2013.

He then served for 7 years as chairman of NHS England (previously known as the NHS Commissioning Board).{{cite web|title=Professor Malcolm Grant confirmed as chair of NHS commissioning board|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/professor-malcolm-grant-confirmed-as-chair-of-nhs-commissioning-board|publisher=Department of Health|accessdate=20 August 2015}} He has published extensively in planning and environmental law, and local government law, including serving for 23 years (1981–2004) as the editor of the 8 loose leaf volume Encyclopaedia of Planning Law and Practice{{Cite web|title=Encyclopedia of Planning Law and Practice – Looseleaf {{!}} Planning Law {{!}} Sweet & Maxwell|url=https://www.sweetandmaxwell.co.uk/Product/Planning-Law/Encyclopedia-of-Planning-Law-and-Practice/Looseleaf/30792360|access-date=28 August 2021|website=www.sweetandmaxwell.co.uk}} of which he remains a consultant editor.

From 2015 to 2022, he was the Chancellor of the University of York.{{cite web|url=https://www.york.ac.uk/news-and-events/news/2014/new-chancellor/|title=Professor Sir Malcolm Grant is to be our new Chancellor|publisher=University of York|accessdate=28 November 2014}}

Early life, education and previous work

Grant was born and raised in Oamaru, New Zealand. He attended the state-run Waitaki Boys' High School and was organist at St Luke's Church.{{Cite web|title=St Luke's & St Andrew's|url=https://sites.google.com/site/stlukesoamaru/|access-date=28 August 2021|website=sites.google.com|language=en-US}} He went on to study at the University of Otago, where he respectively gained an LL.B. (1970), LL.M. (1973) and LL.D. degree (1986).{{cite thesis |last=Grant |first=Malcolm |year=1972 |type=Masters thesis |title=Aspects of uncertainty in private and public law |publisher=OUR Archive, University of Otago |hdl=10523/2971 |url=https://ourarchive.otago.ac.nz/handle/10523/2971}} He became a Lecturer in Law at Southampton University (1972–1986). He was then a Professor of Law and Vice-Dean, from 1986 until 1991, of the University College London Faculty of Laws.

In 1991 Grant was elected Professor of Land Economy at the University of Cambridge and a Professorial Fellow of Clare College. He then served as Head of the Department of Land Economy at Cambridge from 1993 until 2001, and in 2002 was appointed Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the university. Whilst there he led attempts to reform the governance of the university.{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/1806169.stm | work=BBC News | title=Management shake-up at Cambridge | date=7 February 2002}}

President and Provost of UCL

In August 2003, Grant was appointed Provost and President of University College London, in succession to Sir Derek Roberts[http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/news/dp/2003040401 Grant to lead UCL]

During his 10-year tenure the university grew significantly, and steadily achieved high recognition in global university rankings, attaining place 4 in the world in the QS rankings by 2013.{{Cite web|last=UCL|date=11 January 2018|title=Rankings|url=https://www.ucl.ac.uk/about/why/rankings|access-date=28 August 2021|website=About UCL|language=en}} Five members of his senior team have themselves gone on to become university vice-chancellors: Professor Ed Byrne{{Cite web|title=Professor Ed Byrne|url=https://www.kcl.ac.uk/people/ed-byrne|access-date=28 August 2021|website=www.kcl.ac.uk|date=13 January 2021 }} (Monash; then King's College London); Professor Ian Jacobs (University of New South Wales); Santa Ono (University of Michigan); Dr Steve Currall{{Cite web|title=Currall announces retirement from University of South Florida presidency|url=https://www.usf.edu/news/2021/currall-announces-retirement-from-university-of-south-florida-presidency.aspx|access-date=28 August 2021|website=www.usf.edu|language=en}} (University of South Florida) and Professor Anthony Finkelstein (City University, London)

In 2004, Grant launched "The Campaign for UCL", with the aim of generating £300 million for the university, to expand facilities and provide for new research initiatives.[http://www.ucl.ac.uk/campaign/ The Campaign For UCL] It was the biggest ever fundraising target set by a university in the United Kingdom,{{cite news| url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/3718172.stm | work= BBC News | title= University launches £300m appeal | date= 5 October 2004}} until Cambridge set a £1 billion target for its 800-year anniversary followed by the £3 billion target set by University of Oxford through the Oxford thinking campaign.{{url|http://www.campaign.ox.ac.uk/}} Grant said of the "Campaign":

{{Quotation|I have heard it suggested that the concept of philanthropy is somehow alien to the national psyche, and that asking for money is not the British thing to do. This is, frankly, nonsense. Most of our leading universities owe their origins to philanthropy. Without the generosity of our founding fathers, UCL would never have seen the light of day back in 1826. This campaign will enable UCL, a real British success story, to enjoy the kind of resources to enable us to compete with the world's very best academic institutions|Interview with BBC News, 2004}}

In 2005, on an invitation from The Cheese Grater, he agreed to shave off his moustache if UCL students raised £1500 for Comic Relief, on Red Nose Day. Unfortunately for his moustache — of 33 years — students and staff duly donated over £2,000.[http://www.ucl.ac.uk/news-archive/feature/newsitem.shtml?Tach UCL News] {{webarchive|url= https://web.archive.org/web/20071223070540/http://www.ucl.ac.uk/news-archive/feature/newsitem.shtml?Tach |date= 23 December 2007 }} However, it has since regrown.

In 2006 he spoke out against the Israel university boycotts by the Association of University Lecturers (now the Universities Colleges Union).{{cite news| url= http://education.guardian.co.uk/higher/news/story/0,,1786102,00.html | location= London | work= The Guardian | first= Alexandra | last= Smith | title= Israel (News), Higher education, Education, UK news, International education news, World news, Middle East (News), Lecturers | date= 30 May 2006}} In 2006 Grant also controversially stated that European students often had better English skills than many British students.{{cite news | url= https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/06/18/nuni18.xml | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20060716143632/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=%2Fnews%2F2006%2F06%2F18%2Fnuni18.xml | url-status= dead | archive-date= 16 July 2006 | location= London | work= The Daily Telegraph | title= European students have better English, says university head | date= 18 June 2006 | access-date= 8 August 2021 }}{{cite news| url= http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/education/article643905.ece | location= London | work= The Times | first= Alexandra | last= Blair | title= Universities to get extra money for giving places to the poor | date= 21 November 2006}}{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}

In 2007 Grant said the achievement and academic gap between male and female students was widening.{{cite news| url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/6364337.stm | work= BBC News | title= Student gender gap is even wider | date= 15 February 2007}} Since 1998, 313,259 more women than men have made university applications. Malcolm Grant said, "the trend indicated a big fall in the number of university-educated men".{{cite news| url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/education/article1386928.ece | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070217033328/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/education/article1386928.ece | url-status=dead | archive-date=17 February 2007 | location= London | work= The Times | first= Alexandra | last= Blair | title= Growing gender gap risks turning universities into malefree zones | date= 15 February 2007}}

In January 2007 he argued that the entire nationwide university approach to funding needed to change.{{cite news| url= http://education.guardian.co.uk/egweekly/story/0,,2001195,00.html | location= London | work= The Guardian | first= Malcolm | last= Grant | title= Higher education, Tuition fees, Students, Education, UK news | date= 30 January 2007}} In regard to UCL's need for additional funding, he stated the reasons in an interview with the BBC:

{{Quotation|To provide world-class research – through discovery, invention and creativity – and to convey the excitement of it to able young minds. |Interview with BBC News, 2007{{cite news| url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/3706650.stm | work= BBC News | title= Looking inside the university | date= 5 October 2004}}}}

In June 2007, in response to legal threats from Alan Lakin, husband of a purveyor of herbal remedies, Grant required Professor David Colquhoun to remove his website, "Improbable Science"[http://www.dcscience.net/ DC's Improbable Science] from university computers. An outcry from the scientific community ensued, and Grant reconsidered, inviting Dr. Colquhoun to bring the site back to UCL once it had been edited on counsel's advice.[http://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/news-articles/0706/07061303 Joint statement by Professor Colquhoun and UCL]

In December 2011, the student union at UCL proposed a vote of No Confidence" in Grant, challenging his appointment as chair of the NHS Commissioning Board.{{cite news| url= http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=26&storycode=418331&c=1 | work= Times Higher Education | title= No confidence vote | date= 3 December 2011}} In the ensuing referendum, the students of UCL voted confidence of Grant by 1699 votes to 1185, with 391 abstentions.

{{cite news

| title= Results of the UCLU Referendums, January 2012

| author= UCLU

| url= http://beta.uclu.org/articles/results-of-uclu-referenda-january-2012

| date= 26 January 2012

}}

=Criticism=

In the Telegraph, Grant was criticised for allegedly downplaying Islamist radicalisation and extremism on the UCL campus.[https://web.archive.org/web/20100102054020/http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/concoughlin/100020959/when-will-the-british-people-wake-up-to-the-enemy-in-their-midst/ When will the British people wake up to the enemy in their midst] By Con Coughlin Defence Last updated: 30 December 2009, Telegraph Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab – who attempted to explode a bomb on a flight to Detroit in December 2009 – had been the president of the UCL Islamic Society from 2005 to 2006. He was the fourth president of an official Islamic society at a London university to face terrorist charges in three years.{{cite news |title=Airline Bomb Suspect Reportedly Groomed While a Student in London |newspaper=The Times |date=30 December 2009 |url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,581457,00.html |accessdate=4 January 2010 }} In a robust response to the criticisms, Grant stated that he had ordered a review into the issue, and went on to restate the case for freedom of speech on university campuses.{{Cite web|date=31 December 2009|title=Freedom of thought is all we foment|url=https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/freedom-of-thought-is-all-we-foment/409807.article|access-date=28 August 2021|website=Times Higher Education (THE)|language=en}} He refuted the insinuation that there was a problem with Islamic extremism at UCL, and accused some anonymous below the line contributors to the Telegraph of "Islamophobia".{{cite magazine|url=http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?storycode=409807 |title=Freedom of thought is all we foment |magazine=Times Higher Education |accessdate=12 November 2010}} The Centre for Social Cohesion subsequently part of the neocon Henry Jackson Society issued a press briefing listing a number of alleged Islamist extremists who had recently spoken on the UCL campus after being officially invited by UCL's Islamic groups.[http://www.socialcohesion.co.uk/files/1262710659_1.pdf How UCL authorities ignored Islamic extremism]CSC One of its committee members Ruth Dudley Edwards criticised Grant's response, writing: "Rather than producing mealy-mouthed defensive statements... Provost Grant should seriously reconsider his position."[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/terrorism-in-the-uk/6917777/British-universities-seats-of-learning-and-loathing.html British universities: seats of learning – and loathing] By Ruth Dudley Edwards 10:30AM GMT 2 January 2010 On the other hand, UCL Professor John Sutherland, writing in the Guardian, defended the university's response of constructive engagement, which recommended "debate with extremists" and the promotion of an Islamic Awareness Week: "My own, partisan, view is that UCL's openness is morally justified.... But there are clear risks".[https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/belief/2011/feb/18/ucl-student-extremism-constructive-engagement UCL, on the frontline of the student extremism debate] guardian.co.uk, Friday 18 February 2011 17.00 GMT

On his retirement in 2013 over £1mn was contributed by staff, students, alumni and supporters to create [https://www.ucl.ac.uk/scholarships/professor-sir-malcolm-grant-postgraduate-scholarship the Professor Sir Malcolm Grant Postgraduate Scholarship Fund] whose purpose is to enable and encourage UCL alumni who show leadership potential, and who have financial need, to pursue Master’s studies at UCL.

Other positions

Grant served two terms of appointment as Chair of the Local Government Commission for England (1996–2001), having been originally appointed a member of the commission from 1992. Whilst there he helped organise the new plans for electing members of London's local government.{{cite news|date=25 August 1998|title=London poll plan unveiled|work=BBC News|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/158048.stm}} He was also Chair of the Standards Committee of the Greater London Authority, and Chair of the Association of London Government's Independent Panel on the Remuneration of Councillors in London (1998–2005).

In 2000 he was also appointed Chair of the UK's Agriculture & Environment Biotechnology Commission (2000–2005), the body set up in parallel with the Food Standards Agency and the Human Genetics Commission, to review regulation and public reception of new technologies including genetic modification. The membership of the AEBC brought together a varied group of individuals with different interests, including Robin Grove-White, then Chair of the Board of Greenpeace UK, and Justine Thornton, subsequently a High Court Judge. It published a series of reports, including Crops on Trial{{Cite web|title=House of Commons – Environment, Food and Rural Affairs – Eighteenth Report|url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200203/cmselect/cmenvfru/1220/122004.htm#n1|access-date=28 August 2021|website=publications.parliament.uk}} leading to Grant being appointed by the Government to chair the UK Independent Steering Board for the Public Debate on Genetically modified crops, from 2002 to 2003.{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/2727969.stm | work=BBC News | title=GM debate 'to include crop trials' | date=5 February 2003}} He brought proponents and opponents to the table, and ensured that the public voice was heard in decisions relating to genetic modification.{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/2955150.stm | work=BBC News | title=Public 'needs voice' on GM issue | date=3 June 2003}}{{cite news | url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2003/09/25/ngm25.xml | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031025172632/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=%2Fnews%2F2003%2F09%2F25%2Fngm25.xml | url-status=dead | archive-date=25 October 2003 | location=London | work=The Daily Telegraph | title=News – Telegraph | access-date=8 August 2021 }}{{Cite web|date=24 September 2003|title=British public|url=http://www.theguardian.com/education/2003/sep/24/highereducation.uk2|access-date=28 August 2021|website=the Guardian|language=en}}

Grant served from 2006 to 2009 as chair of the Russell Group of UK research universities,{{cite news | url=http://education.independent.co.uk/higher/article339475.ece | location=London | work=The Independent | title=Malcolm Grant: Is the axe-man a saviour? | date=19 January 2006 }}{{dead link|date=August 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} and as a Member of Council of the Royal Institution from 2007 to 2009.

He held a Prime Ministerial appointment as a British Business Ambassador from 2008 to 2018.{{Cite web|title=Prime Minister's Business Ambassadors|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/business-ambassadors|access-date=28 August 2021|website=GOV.UK|language=en}}

Grant served on the boards of the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) (2008–2014), the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) (2010–2013) and the University Grants Committee of Hong Kong (2007–2015).

=University of York=

He served as Chancellor of the University of York between 2015 and 2022.{{Cite web |date=6 October 2021 |title=Nominations for new Chancellor |url=https://www.york.ac.uk/students/news/2021/new-chancellor/ |access-date=2 January 2024 |website=University of York}}

Current roles

Grant has acted since 2013 as Senior Adviser to President Michael Crow of Arizona State University.

Grant has served since 2013 as an international member of the Council{{Cite web|title=5–100 – Russian academic excellence project|url=https://www.5top100.ru/en/|access-date=28 August 2021|website=www.5top100.ru}} of the Project 5-100 launched by the Russian Government to enhance the global competitiveness of Russian universities, and as a member of the International Board of the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MIPT).{{Cite web|title=MIPT International Board — Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology|url=https://mipt.ru/english/persons/international_board|access-date=28 August 2021|website=mipt.ru|language=en}}

Grant has also served on panels of France's Agence nationale de la recherche, including for the creation of new graduate schools{{Cite web|title=Les 24 lauréats de la deuxième vague de l'appel à projet "Ecoles universitaire de recherche" du PIA 3 sont désormais connus !|url=https://anr.fr/fr/actualites-de-lanr/details/news/les-24-laureats-de-la-deuxieme-vague-de-lappel-a-projet-ecoles-universitaire-de-recherche-du-pia/|access-date=28 August 2021|website=Agence nationale de la recherche|language=fr}} and the IDEX program for restructuring of higher education and research in France.{{Cite web|url=https://anr.fr/fileadmin/documents/2021/RdD-IDEX_PIA1-PSL_Saclay_2020.pdf |title=Premier Programme d'Investissements d'Avenir Evaluation de fin de période probatoire prolongée des projets Initiative Paris-Saclay et Paris Sciences & Lettres |access-date=28 November 2021}}

In 2018 Grant was appointed Chair of the Governance Board of the PLuS Alliance, the global partnership between Arizona State University, King's College London, and the University of New South Wales.

Awards

Grant is an Honorary Life Member of the Royal Town Planning Institute (1993–); an Honorary Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (1995–); and Honorary Life Member of the New Zealand Resource Management Law Association (1999). He was elected a Bencher of Middle Temple in 2004, and became Senior Bencher in 2023.[http://www.ucl.ac.uk/provost/biography/public-service Public Service] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071223064815/http://www.ucl.ac.uk/provost/biography/public-service |date=23 December 2007 }}

In 2003, Grant was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for services to planning law and local government.{{cite news| url=http://education.guardian.co.uk/higher/careers/story/0,9856,928664,00.html | location=London | work=The Guardian | title=Higher education, Education, UK news, University administration, Careers in higher education, UCL, Cambridge University | date=2 April 2003}}

He was appointed Officier de l'Ordre National de Mérite of France in 2004.{{Cite web|last=UCL|date=14 November 2005|title=French award for President and Provost|url=https://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2005/nov/french-award-president-and-provost|access-date=28 August 2021|website=UCL News|language=en}}

In 2013, Grant was knighted in the 2013 Birthday Honours List for services to higher education.{{London Gazette

| issue = 60534

| date = 15 June 2013

| page = 1

| supp = y

}}{{cite web|date=14 June 2013|title=Birthday Honours List 2013|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/206698/Birthday_Honours_List_2013.pdf|publisher=HM Government|accessdate=14 June 2013}}

Grant has been awarded honorary degrees by: University of Otago (HonLLD; 2006); University College London (HonLLD; 2013); University of Cambridge (HonLLD; 2016);{{Cite web|title=Acta – Cambridge University Reporter 6471|url=https://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/reporter/2016-17/weekly/6471/section8.shtml#heading2-22|access-date=28 August 2021|website=www.admin.cam.ac.uk}} University of York (Hon DUniv; 2022); King’s College London (Hon DLitt; 2022).

He is an Honorary Fellow of Clare College, Cambridge (2016) and the Royal College of Physicians (2017)