New President announced for Richmond, The American International University in London

Professor Lawrence Abeln has been appointed as the new President of Richmond, The American International University in London, by the Board of Trustees.

Professor Abeln, 49, is a US citizen, and graduated Phi Beta Kappa with BA in History from the University of Pennsylvania. He received an MPhil in International Relations and PhD in Management from the University of Cambridge, where he studied labour economics as a Rotary Foundation Scholar. He will be joining the community in September, 2018.

Dr Abeln has had a distinguished career in academic leadership and strong international background including posts at top 100 QS world-ranked research institutions, including the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Cambridge.

Dr Nicholas Tate, Chairman of the Board of Trustees at Richmond, The American International University in London said, “We’re delighted to welcome Professor Abeln to Richmond. He will be joining us at a tremendously exciting time for the University. Having been granted recently Taught Degree Awarding Powers (TDAP) by the Privy Council, we have huge appeal as the only University which offers all students both a UK and US degree.”

Professor Lawrence Abeln said, “Richmond has a strong tradition as the UK’s leading American University in London with its international orientation, strategic location and heritage in liberal arts education. The multi-disciplinary curriculum, commitment to a global orientation, and international exchanges are all hugely beneficial for students and their careers. I look forward to working with our community of students, faculty, staff, alumni and institutional partners to continue to provide an outstanding experience.”

With a total of 1,500 students, the University is based across two campuses in London, in Richmond and Kensington, with additional sites in Florence, Rome and Leeds.