Broadcast: News items

Iain Stinson

Iain Stinson, Director of IT Services (ITS), will be retiring at the end of June.

Iain joined Sussex in October 2008 after seven years as Director of Computing Services at the University of Liverpool. He moved there after three years at UMIST as Director of Information Systems and from 1994-98 he was Director of the IT Service at the University of Durham.

Iain said: “I’ve loved working at Sussex: my colleagues in IT Services and other colleagues in the University have been very supporting and helpful.”

During his five years at Sussex, Iain has co-ordinated considerable investment in computing services for students and staff, including a £1.3 million project to install hundreds of new computers and improve wi-fi coverage on campus and in student residences.

He has also overseen a re-launch of the University’s e-learning site Study Direct; a move towards increased use of off-the-shelf software, reducing the cost of maintaining out-of-date systems; and the introduction of a new email and calendaring system for staff.

He noted, however, that there are still many areas for improvement: “The IT Services team have worked hard to deliver the services we wanted to provide to the University; they keep positive and cheerful even when things get a bit difficult. I will miss working with them and hope that we will continue our friendship. I wish them and the University all the best for the future.”

The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Michael Farthing, said: “Iain has done a great job for us in starting the transformation of our information technology services.”

The University has begun the process for recruiting a replacement and putting in place an Acting Director in the interim.