The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has promoted Emran Mian to become its next permanent secretary.

The current director general for digital technologies and telecoms replaces Sarah Munby who is leaving the civil service this summer.

Mian was the director of the Social Market Foundation thinktank before returning to government, first in the Department for Education, where he was director general for higher education and further education, and then serving in the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

He moved to his current role in DSIT in 2023, which has seen him oversee AI research and policy, including data use, cybersecurity and online safety.?

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A familiar face to the higher education sector due to his previous positions, he will now become the top-ranking civil servant in the department that allocates a ?13.9 billion?research?and development (R&D)?budget.

DSIT was created by the previous Conservative government?in 2023 when former prime minister Rishi Sunak broke up the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, which was previously responsible for research funding.?

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Coming to power a year ago, Labour was initially felt to be sceptical of the new department before committing to its existence, with Peter Kyle holding the position of secretary of state for the duration of the administration so far.

Many university leaders still feel a joined-up department for both teaching and research would serve the sector better.

Announcing the appointment, Kyle said Mian was someone he had worked with closely since taking over at the department and commended his ¡°exceptional experience and vision¡±, which will make him an ¡°outstanding¡± permanent secretary.

Mian said he was ¡°hugely optimistic about how science, technology and AI can improve lives, government services and economic growth¡±.

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¡°At this moment there is no cap on how ambitious we should be for our country,¡± he added.

¡°I am grateful to Sarah Munby for her leadership of DSIT since the department was created. It is a privilege to take the work forward with colleagues across the department and wider government, working closely with scientists, inventors, entrepreneurs, businesses and civil society.¡±

tom.williams@timeshighereducation.com