Sir Robert Burgess
Burgess at Thomas Erlebach's inaugural lecture on 2 December 2008
Born	Robert George Burgess (1947-04-23)23 April 1947
Died	21 February 2022(2022-02-21) (aged 74)
Alma mater	University of Warwick ( PhD, 1981) University of Durham, ( BA, 1971)
Spouse	Hilary Joyce ​ ( m. 1974)​

Sir Robert George Burgess DL, FAcSS (23 April 1947 – 21 February 2022) was a British sociologist and academic. He was appointed Vice-Chancellor of the University of Leicester in 1999, succeeding Ken Edwards. He was President of the British Sociological Association 1989–1991 ^[2] and chair of the board of GSM London. ^[3]

Early life

Burgess was born in Sturminster in Dorset on 23 April 1947. He grew up Somerset, and attended the King Arthur's School in Wincanton, from 1958. ^[4] He taught for a year at Bennett Memorial Diocesan School, a church school, in Tunbridge Wells in Kent. ^[5]

Burgess received his BA degree from the University of Durham in 1971 and his PhD degree from the University of Warwick in 1981.

Career

Burgess remained at Warwick as a lecturer and became Professor of Sociology in 1987. He then rose through the ranks, serving as Senior Pro-Vice-Chancellor 1995–99. ^[1] Burgess then moved to the University of Leicester as Vice-Chancellor, introducing sweeping changes that enhanced the university's reputation and saw it enter the top-20 institutions in many league tables. ^[6]

Burgess was chair of the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) 2005–11, the Research Information Network 2005–11, ^[7] and is the chair of the UUK/Guild HE Teacher Education Advisory Group. ^[8] In 2007, Burgess chaired the steering group that produced the Burgess Report, calling for sweeping changes in university degree classification that would replace the established system of first- and second class degrees. ^{[9] [10] [11]}

Burgess retired from the post of Vice-Chancellor in September 2014, at age 67. ^[12] He was succeeded by Professor Paul Boyle. ^[2]

Personal life

Burgess was knighted in the 2010 New Year Honours. ^[13] He became an Academician of the Social Sciences in 2000. He received an Honorary DLitt degree from the University of Staffordshire in 1998 and a DUniv degree from the University of Northampton in 2007. ^[1]

Burgess married Hilary Margaret Mary Joyce in 1974 and lists his recreations as walking, music and "some gardening". ^[1] Sir Bob and Lady Burgess lived at Knighton Hall, the University of Leicester's traditional vice-chancellor's residence in Knighton, Leicester. Burgess's record in building both the university's academic reputation and its campus buildings earned him the nickname Bob the Builder among his university colleagues. ^[14]

Burgess died on 21 February 2022, at the age of 74. ^[15]

References