Former Chief Information Officer at LSE Jean Sykes MBE receives an honorary doctorate from UWL

The University of West London (UWL) has awarded former Chief Information Officer at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), Jean Sykes MBE an Honorary Doctor of Letters for serving the higher education sector for many years and for being an inspiration for women in leadership.

Beginning her career in information management as an Assistant Librarian at the University of Liverpool in 1974, Jean moved in 1982 to the then Middlesex Polytechnic. There she rose quickly to the post of Acting Director of Library and Media Services in 1985. She joined the University of Westminster in 1987 as Librarian and again was rapidly promoted to Deputy Director of Information Resources Services in 1989.

Jean then moved, in 1989, to manage the prestigious Lionel Robbin’s Library at LSE, one of the five National Research Libraries in the UK, first as Librarian and Director of Information Services and then, from 2009, as Chief Information Officer until her retirement in 2012.

After studying French at Glasgow University to master’s level, Jean also spent several months working on a French government panel carrying out a full quinquennial review of the Library and IT Services of the Fondation Nationale des Sciences Politiques (Sciences-Po), one of France’s foremost research universities.  
 
As she presented Jean with her award, member of UWL’s Board of Governors Helena Peacock said, “Jean’s enormous contribution to the fast-moving world of information management globally is probably best shown by her extensive national and international collaborations.

“She was devoted to the constant improvement of library and IT services for users: for students, researchers, administrators, and the professoriate. She believed passionately in the benefits of collaboration with others, at all levels; proving that the more one could discuss issues and challenges with others the better solutions one could find.”

“Keep learning, enquiring, questioning, and figuring things out as you progress and develop your careers, just as you have done during your studies here at UWL,” said Jean to the graduands. “You can be very proud of your academic achievements and of your university, which is now my ‘honorary’ university too! I wish you every success in the days and years to come.”