We regret to announce the death of Sir Donald Maitland who served as a Pro-Chancellor of the University of Bath from January 1997 to December 2000 and as a member of Council from 1997 to 2004.
Sir Donald’s distinguished career as a diplomat and a government adviser was recognised by the University in 1995 when he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree. His distinguished service to the University was further recognised in 2002 when he was awarded the Chancellor’s Medal.
He was Chair of the Advisory Board for the Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences and a Visiting Professor in that Faculty. Sir Donald was also a long-serving President of the Bath Institute for Rheumatic Diseases.
After wartime service in India, the Middle East and Burma, Sir Donald joined the Foreign Service and served in various posts in the Foreign Office and the Middle East. He was Ambassador to Libya; Chief Press Secretary to the Prime Minister, Edward Heath; UK Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York and to the European Community in Brussels; and Permanent Under Secretary at the Department of Energy.
In 1983, he returned to the international field as Chairman of the UN Commission for World Wide Telecommunications Development. Later he was Deputy Chairman of the Independent Broadcasting Authority and Chairman of the Health Education Authority.
The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Glynis Breakwell, said:
“We are all deeply saddened to learn of the death of Sir Donald Maitland. Sir Donald brought energy, enthusiasm and an immense wealth of experience to any activity he undertook on our behalf. His international expertise was an immense asset to us. His wise counsel was especially valuable to the Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences. On behalf of the University, I would like to offer our condolences to his family, friends and colleagues.”