Professor Sir James Drummond Bone was educated at the Universities of Glasgow and Oxford. He is a professor of English literature internationally known for his work in romantic studies, particularly Byron. He taught English language and literature as a lecturer, senior lecturer and professor at the Universities of Warwick and Glasgow. Formerly senior vice-principal at the University of Glasgow, from 2000 to 2002, Professor Bone was principal of Royal Holloway, University of London. He was appointed vice-chancellor of the University of London in 2001 and vice-chancellor of the University of Liverpool in September 2002. As a university leader and manager he has been part of a number of initiatives at both institutional and national levels, many aimed at bringing the worlds of business and industry closer to universities. He co-edits the journal Romanticism. He is the chairman of the British University Chancellors Union and is a member of various committees including the Strathclyde European Project Committee, Scottish Industrial Development Committee, Scottish International Committee, Scottish Biological and Medical Research Funds Council, English Continuing Development Committee and more.