Dr Mike Donnelly

Honorary Professor

PhD, MSc, BA

Mike is a retired senior academic and special adviser to senior politicians in the UK. He was Head of School and Dean of Faculty in business schools in Scotland, England and Australia over a 35-year academic career.

In learning and teaching, Mike has experience of a wide range of academic environments: from first year undergraduate through traditional postgraduate units to executive master’s degrees as well as in-house management development programmes. He has designed and delivered seminars and post experience courses for senior managers from the emerging democracies of Eastern Europe, China, Russia, Africa, South America as well as in the United Kingdom.

Mike’s research has been published in seven books of edited research proceedings; 19 refereed journal articles; 34 refereed papers in national and international conference proceedings; 83 unpublished national and international conference and seminar presentations; and 16 other miscellaneous publications.  

Areas of interest

• Management and Leadership of service excellence in public and voluntary sectors, aiding knowledge discovery and organisational development through practice and academic publications.

Qualifications

• 1976 – BA in Pure Mathematics (University of Stirling)
• 1978 – MSc in Technological Economics (University of Stirling)
• PhD in Management Science (University of Stirling)

Background

He served as Principal Special Adviser to the First Minister of Scotland (2001-2003), as Special Adviser to the Secretary of State for Scotland (1999-2001) and as Professional Adviser to the UK Home Secretary (2006). 

Mike is also Honorary Professor of Management at Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh and at the Victorian Institute of Technology in Melbourne.  He is an Honorary Fellow of the Strategic Management Institute (Knowledge) in Australia.

Mike has previously served as a volunteer Trustee and Board member with Linthouse Housing Association, Quarriers, The Star Project in Paisley, Govan Law Centre, and the Institute of Public Administration Australia. He is currently a Trustee and Board Member of Sight Scotland and its partner charity, Sight Scotland Veterans. Mike volunteered as a 'foster-grandad' with Extended Families Australia and as a volunteer advocate with Yorkhill Childrens’ Charity and as a barista in its Tea Bar in Glasgow.