School of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies appoints new Head of School
4 August 2015
Professor Stuart Allan has been appointed Head of the University’s School of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies
Professor Allan joined the University in February 2014 and has published widely in journalism, media and cultural studies, including seven authored books, the most recent of which being Citizen Witnessing: Revisioning Journalism in Times of Crisis.
He has edited eleven others, including The Routledge Companion to News and Journalism, and Citizen Journalism: Global Perspectives (Vols 1 and 2). Several of these books have been translated into multiple languages.
“To say I feel honoured and privileged to be Head of School may sound clichéd, but it is very true,” Professor Allan said.
“The School’s community is made up of people who are passionate about what they do, and dedicated to passing on this knowledge and experience to students. I’m looking forward to working with them to enhance the School’s longstanding reputation and further cement its position as a driver that’s shaping our field’s future direction.”
Having recently been ranked by the Guardian as the UK’s leading School for Journalism and Public Relations and also ranked 2nd in the UK by the Government for the quality of its research, Professor Allan was asked what made the School of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies such a successful school.
“The School is committed to excellence in everything it does, which is easy to say, but always challenging to deliver,” he said.
“We strive to be innovative, to find new ways of delivering a world-class research and educational provision that is alert to professional priorities in evolving real-world contexts.”
When asked about how the subject area is developing, he emphasised the importance of being forward-thinking.
“Journalism, along with the creative and cultural industries more widely, is undergoing profound changes with far-reaching implications for our society.
“It is a fascinating time to be exploring the issues these changes pose, particularly with respect to the impact of the internet and related digital technologies. It is a period of considerable uncertainty, but also remarkable opportunities to reimagine our media institutions.”
Professor Allan became Head of School on August 1st while outgoing Head, Simon Cottle, continues as Professor of Media and Communication in the School.