Steve Smith

Sir Steven Murray Smith, FAcSS, FRSA, FLSW (born 4 February 1952) is an English international relations theorist and long serving university leader. He is the former Vice Chancellor of the University of Exeter and Professor of International Studies. He was appointed as the UK Government International Education Champion in June 2020, and reappointed by the new government in August 2024. He was appointed as the UK Prime Minister's Special Representative to Saudi Arabia for Education in October 2020 and reappointed as the UK Government Special Representative to Saudi Arabia for Education in December 2024.

In November 2025 he received the outstanding lifetime achievement award by Times Higher Education. The citation stated that it is “hard to think of an academic who has had more influence on the course of UK higher education over the first quarter of this century” than Smith. “This breadth of impact put him at the heart of major policy reforms that helped to shape the university sector as we know it today.”

Early life Smith was born on 4 February 1952 in Norwich, England. He attended the City of Norwich School, then a grammar school, on Eaton Road, Norwich. His parents were from working class backgrounds. At a parents' evening, his form master told his parents about their son that "people like you don't go to university". The school afterwards suggested finding a low-skilled job for him.

Smith gained a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Politics and International Studies in 1973, a Master of Science (MSc) degree in international studies in 1974 and a Doctor of Philosophy degree (PhD) in international relations in 1978, all from the University of Southampton.

Academic career 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. only the second non-American to receive this honour. and remained on the board until 2020.

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.

Smith stepped down as vice-chancellor of University in 2020 and was succeeded by Lisa Roberts.

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 Relations. He was knighted in the 2011 Queen's Birthday Honours "for services to local and national Higher Education".

Smith was recognized by University of South Florida President Judy Genshaft with the President's Global Leadership Award in May 2012 .

In 2019, Exeter City Council awarded Smith with the Freedom of the City award, recognising his service to the city during his time as Vice-chancellor of University of Exeter. He was awarded an honorary LLD by the Chinese University of Hong Kong in December 2020.

In October 2022 the University of Exeter named its Living Systems Institute in honour of its former Vice-Chancellor. His portrait (by Alastair Adams, 2022) hangs in Sir Steve Smith building. The university also awarded Smith with an honorary LLD in July 2023.

In 2023, he was elected a Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales.

Personal life Smith married his partner, Dr Jeannie Forbes, in a ceremony held at University of Exeter's Reed Hall in 2013. He is a supporter of Norwich City FC.