President’s second term

Sir Emyr Jones Parry

Sir Emyr Jones Parry

06 November 2012

Sir Emyr Jones Parry has been appointed to serve for a second term as President of Aberystwyth University.

Sir Emyr, a former UK Permanent Representative to the United Nations, took up the post in January 2008 and will complete the five year tenure of office at the end of December.

His appointment for a second term was approved at a meeting of the Aberystwyth University Council on Monday 5 November.

Speaking afterwards, Sir Emyr said: “I am delighted and honoured by the privilege, and looking forward to helping to lead the University through the next exciting period.”

Professor April McMahon, Vice-Chancellor at Aberystwyth University said: “I am thrilled that Sir Emyr’s Presidency has been extended by a further five years; this was unanimously supported by the University’s Council.

“Sir Emyr has been a strong, visionary leader for our University, he is well respected by our students and staff and we are looking forward to working with him in further developing our University as a confident and ambitious leader of Higher Education in Wales.”

A native of Carmarthenshire, Sir Emyr was educated at Gwendraeth Grammar School, Cardiff University, where he read Theoretical Physics, and St Catharine’s College, Cambridge where he gained a PhD in Polymer Physics.

He joined the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 1973 and held posts in Canada, at the European Parliament in Brussels and Madrid.

In 2001 he was appointed UK Permanent Representative on the North Atlantic Council, which was followed in 2003 by his appointment as the UK’s Permanent Representative to the UN in New York, a post he held until his retirement in 2007.

Sir Emyr was made an Honorary Fellow of Aberystwyth University in July 2006.

The previous holders of the office are:

1874-1895 Right Hon Henry Austin – 1st Baron Aberdare, GCB, DCI

1895-1913 Right Hon Stuart Baron Rendel

1913-1926 Sir John Williams, BT, GCVO, LLD, MD, DSC

1926-1944 Right Hon Lord Davies, MA LLD 

1944-1954 Thomas Jones, CH, MA, LLD 

1955-1964 Sir David Hughes Parry, QC, MA, DCL, Hon LLD

1964-1976 Sir Ben Bowen Thomas, MA, LLD 

1977-1985 Rt Hon Lord Cledwyn, CH, Hon LLD

1985-1997 Sir Melvyn Rosser Hon LLD, FCA


1997-2007 Lord Elystan Morgan, LLB

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