Sir Eric Thomas

Cairney Advisor

Sir Eric, is the former Vice-Chancellor at the University of Bristol and the author of the UK Government report (2004) entitled “Increasing Voluntary Giving to Higher Education”, the benchmark for fundraising in Higher Education in the UK, as relevant today as it was in 2004.  The report emphasised that not only are universities charities worthy of attracting voluntary contributions that by doing so there would be significant impact on achieving excellence.  Sir Eric highlighted the need to create “successful asking institutions”, ones that demonstrate strong institutional leadership; a committed and involved lay leadership; and a professional, well run fundraising office.

Sir Eric Thomas was knighted for services to Higher Education in 2013. He was Vice-Chancellor of the University of Bristol from 2001 to 2015. He was President of Universities UK from 2001 to 2013 and Chair of the Worldwide University Network from 2003 to 2007. He chaired the Government Taskforce into Increasing Voluntary Donations to Higher Education which reported in 2004, the Thomas Report.

He graduated in Medicine from the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne in 1976 becoming a Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist in 1987 until 2001.

He is currently Patron of The Conversation UK, Vice-Chair of the new university NMITE, a Governor of the University of the Arts London and a trustee of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, HRH Commonwealth  Study Conferences, IntoUniversity and the Moorfields Eye Charity. He is on the International Advisory Board for Ashinaga, a large Japanese educational charity.