Uni chief who gave business partner top job is forced to quit
THE head of a university has resigned after it was found he hired the coowner of his £12million castle as his deputy. Professor Ferdinand von Prondzynski quit as principal of Aberdeen’s Robert Gordon University after accepting the conflict of interest ‘has caused division’ and had a ‘damaging impact’ on its reputation.
A whistleblower came forward after he failed to declare that he and newly appointed viceprincipal Gordon McConnell were co-directors of Knockdrin Estates Ltd.
The firm holds the deeds to 12bedroom Knockdrin Castle, which is on a 1,100-acre estate in County Westmeath, Ireland. It is currently on sale at Sotheby’s for just under £12.1million.
Professor von Prondzynski, who had been principal since March 2011, released a statement yesterday saying that the affair was something he ‘hugely regrets’.
He said: ‘My main reason for deciding to step down is to allow RGU to recover from these events. I am confident it will do so quickly.
‘While I will step down from my position, I will remain a strong supporter of RGU and of the NorthEast of Scotland, for which I have a huge affection.’
A university inquiry reported last month that Professor von Prondzynski had breached its conflict of
‘It has had a damaging impact’
interest policy but that it was a ‘genuine omission or oversight’ with no ‘malicious motive’.
However, another vice-principal, Professor Paul Hagan, resigned in protest last month after the university failed to impose any sanctions when publishing its findings.
He said: ‘I cannot see how the board could have reached the conclusion and outcome that has been released. I am convinced that any other member of staff in the same situation would have been disciplined, possibly dismissed.’
After hearing of Professor Von Prondzynski’s decision he withdrew his resignation.
Mike Fleming, chairman of the university’s board of governors, said the past few months had been a ‘testing time’. He added: ‘We respect Ferdinand’s decision, which we know he has taken in the best interests of protecting the university’s welldeserved and hard-won reputation. We would like to thank Ferdinand for his service to RGU.’
Knockdrin is described on the Sotheby’s website as a ‘splendid Gothic revival castle majestically positioned within a rolling parkland estate’. The sale also includes the estate, a lake and four lodges.