Short biography
Appointed as the UK’s International Education Champion in June 2020, he plays a pivotal role in promoting the UK's education sector globally. His work focuses on growth in key regions like India, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, Nigeria, Brazil, Mexico, Pakistan, Europe, China, and Hong Kong. He's instrumental in the International Education Strategy which aims to increase international student numbers and boost education exports
- From 1976 to 1978, Smith lectured at Huddersfield Polytechnic.
- From 1979 to 1992, he lectured at University of East Anglia, becoming director of the Centre for Public Choice Studies at UEA. He was a professor at the university from 1990 to 1992. From 1992 to 2002, he was senior pro vice-chancellor (academic affairs), as well as professor of international politics at University of Wales, Aberystwyth and head of the Department of International Politics.
- In October 2002, he succeeded Geoffrey Holland as vice-chancellor of the University of Exeter. In the period 2003 to 2004, he was president of the International Studies Association (ISA), only the second non-American to receive this honour. Between 2006 and 2008 he was Chair of the Board of the 1994 Group. From August 2009 to August 2011, he was the President of Universities UK and remains on the board.
- In 2012, Sir Steve Smith, together with the vice-chancellor of Plymouth University announced the demerger of Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry, and the establishment of the University of Exeter Medical School and the Plymouth University "Peninsula" Schools of Medicine and Dentistry. He is a member of the Board of Governors of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore
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Publications
During his academic career, Smith has written or edited thirteen books and almost 100 academic papers. He has given over 150 academic presentations in 22 different countries. Within international relations theory, he often writes in a post-positivist vein, and has contributed articles to edited volumes on both post-modernism in international relations and Critical Security Studies. He co-authored Explaining and Understanding International Relations with the late Professor Martin Hollis.
He was the editor of the joint Cambridge University Press and British International Studies Association, Cambridge Studies in International Relationsю
