We are deeply saddened at the news of the death of Professor Sir Eric Thomas on 10 November 2023, aged 70 years.
Eric was born in Hartlepool and graduated in medicine from the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne in 1976, he trained as an obstetrician and gynaecologist at the Universities of Sheffield and Newcastle conducting research into infertility and endometriosis for which he was awarded his MD-by-thesis in 1987. He completed his clinical training and in 1991, was appointed Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of Southampton and Honorary Consultant in Gynaecology at University Hospital Southampton. His allegiance to his Geordie roots endured as a fan of Newcastle United Football Club, although he did in more recent years stray to North London and support Arsenal. We are still trying to find out why!
In Southampton he rapidly became Head of the School of Medicine in 1995 and then Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Health and Biological Sciences in 1998. He and Michael Arthur were instrumental in the University/Hospital partnership in Southampton being awarded Wellcome Trust funding for a Clinical Research Facility, one of only five awarded in the UK at that time. This laid the foundation for many jointly held research infrastructure awards and for the reputation for world class translational medical research here in Southampton.
Eric also realised that for the medical school to reach its full potential, it was imperative to work closely with other faculties and for them in turn to support Medicine. He engaged full on with Engineering and with the sheer force of his personality, won the hearts and minds of all the key opinion formers. They loved the ‘Geordie Boy’ and as working relationships flourished, the reputation of the medical school climbed rapidly within the University and more widely across the whole of higher education. It was at this stage that we realised we had a real leader in our midst.
Eric also had a keen eye for talent, especially youthful talent with great potential. He knew that this was a key way to impact on Southampton medical school’s research performance and a way to climb RAE (Research Assessment Exercise) league tables. He took hold of all the new Chair appointments as positions became vacant with the generational change that was inevitable some 25 years after Medicine first opened. Eric was also instrumental in finding sufficient resource to complete these high level recruitments and to make it work with a great sense of team and a shared and successful destiny.
In 2001 Eric left Southampton University (although his family home remained in Hampshire) to take up the post of Vice-Chancellor of the University of Bristol where he remained from 2001 to 2015. During his time in Bristol he played a very active role nationally and internationally in shaping educational, research, civic and international agendas not just in Bristol but also across UK Universities. He was passionate about widening participation in University education and championed routes to scholarship in multiple ways including as chair of the board of CASE Europe, a member of the board of CASE and a commissioner of the Marshall Aid Commemoration Commission.
He chaired the government Taskforce into Increasing Voluntary Giving in Higher Education, which reported in 2004 and provided a road map for advancement and philanthropy to flourish in UK Universities. He was Vice President then President (2011-2013) of Universities UK, chair of its England and Northern Ireland Council and chair of its Research Policy Committee. From 2003 to 2007, he was chair of the Worldwide Universities Network. He was a member of the board of the South-West Regional Development Agency from 2002–8. He was knighted in the 2013 Birthday Honours for services to higher education.
Our thoughts are with his wife Narell, their two children Rachel and David and the wider family at this very sad time.
Sir Eric’s funeral will take place at Romsey Abbey on Wednesday 29 November 2023.