Sir Timothy O’Shea appointed to serve second term as Chair of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society Board
09 November 2016
09 November 2016
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society is pleased to announce that Sir Timothy O’Shea has been appointed to serve a second four-year term as Chair of the Fringe Society’s Board. Tim, who is Principal and Vice Chancellor of the University of Edinburgh, joined the board as Chair in 2012, succeeding Baroness Smith of Gilmorehill.
Anthony Alderson was also reappointed as Deputy Chair serving a one-year term.
Sir Tim O’Shea said:
“I am delighted to continue as Chair of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society’s Board. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time working with the Fringe Society staff and Board Member colleagues and look forward to continuing to do so over the next four years, providing continuity and support to Shona and her senior management team. The Fringe is a unique festival in so many ways and 2017 particularly promises to be a very special year, as we celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Fringe and Edinburgh’s birth as the world’s festival city. It’s an exciting time for all involved as we venture in to the next 70 years of the Fringe.”
Shona McCarthy, Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, added:
“Tim has been a fantastic Chair for the Fringe Society and a great support to me since I took on the role as Chief Executive in March this year and I am very pleased that he has been appointed for a second term. He brings much valued experience, insight and leadership to the Fringe Society’s Board as well as boundless enthusiasm and support for the work that the Society does.”
Timothy will remain as Chair of the board until 2020.
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Notes to Editors
For further information please contact the Fringe Media Office by email: [email protected]
or tel: +44 (0)131 240 1919.
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, the charity that underpins the Edinburgh Festival Fringe was established in 1958, eleven years after the birth of the Fringe when the first performers turned up uninvited to perform at the Edinburgh International Festival. The Fringe is an open access festival – any artist or company can take part regardless of their experience or success and the festival is not programmed or run by an artistic director or any selection body. As a registered charity, the Fringe Society exists to support all participants, industry professionals, media and audience members who attend the Fringe from all around the world, and to produce accurate and up-to-date information and ticketing for audiences, and to raise the profile of the festival as a whole.
About Timothy O’Shea
Professor Sir Timothy O'Shea was appointed Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Edinburgh in October 2002. Tim worked as a researcher in the Computer Science Department of the University of Texas at Austin, the Bionics Research Lab at the University of Edinburgh and the Systems Concepts Lab, Xerox PARC, California.
In 1978 he founded the Computers and Learning Research Group at the Open University and was promoted to a personal chair in Information Technology and Education in 1986. He was appointed Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the Open University in 1993.
In 1997 he was elected Master of Birkbeck and subsequently appointed Provost of Gresham College and Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the University of London. He held all three posts concurrently until he returned to Edinburgh as Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University in October 2002.
His academic output, produced mainly in collaboration with others and on topics relating to computer based learning, artificial intelligence, and mathematics education, includes 10 books, 22 BBC television programmes and over 100 journal articles.