Professor Klaus Fischer, Head of Professional Courses for GSBL, will take up the role
Date: 21 August 2019
London Met is delighted to announce the appointment of the new Head of the Graduate School, Professor Klaus Fischer.
The Graduate School is home to all postgraduate research students, regardless of the subjects they are studying. Working closely with the academic Schools and professional service departments in the University, such as Marketing, Communications, the Registry, and Finance, the Graduate School strives to make academic life for postgraduate research students as smooth as possible.
Professor Fischer is currently Head of Professional Courses at the Guildhall School of Business and Law and Professor of Linguistics. He has a long-standing dedication to the postgraduate research student experience and is an experienced PhD supervisor and examiner, nationally and internationally.
Professor Fischer is also a regular, long-time contributor to research-related committees, and currently chairs the University Research Ethics Sub-Committee.
Professor Fischer said: “There is excellent work being done by our research students. I envisage the Graduate School will provide a supportive environment for research, a testing ground for ideas and projects, and a forum where students and staff meet, discuss and learn from one another.”
This new role entails building up our Graduate School, where Professor Fischer will connect postgraduates, academic staff and others within the university to create a lively, stimulating and supportive environment for our postgraduate community. He will also oversee the administrative side of the School.
Going forward, Professor Fischer will be working closely with the Research & Postgraduate Office, including Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research and Knowledge Exchange, Professor Don MacRaild, and Head of Research Policy & Implementation, Anne Markey.
Professor Don MacRaild, said: “Klaus is an excellent scholar and a colleague of enormous service to London Met. He has a real sense of what we need to do to develop our postgraduate culture across the university. I’m really looking forward to working closely with him.”
Professor Fischer’s research expertise is in German and general linguistics, especially argument structure, focus constructions and the typology of English and German. He has contributed to RAE/REFs (Research Assessment Exercise/ Research Excellence Framework) since 2001 and has been involved in the coordination of submissions each cycle.
His international profile is reflected in the fact that he is Honorary Secretary of the Philological Society and a member of the International Advisory Board of the Institut für Deutsche Sprache.
