I am truly honoured by the appointment to Joint Head of Education and excited about the opportunity to work with Dr Andrew Melbourne, as well as our brilliant students and colleagues across the School. I am confident that together we will maintain and further develop the already outstanding culture of education in our School and will deliver the best outcomes for everyone."
Professor Oleg Aslanidi, Joint Head of Education, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences
28 July 2026
New joint education leadership announced for Biomedical Engineering at King's College London
The School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences has appointed Professor Oleg Aslanidi and Dr Andrew Melbourne to a new joint education leadership role, reflecting the continued growth of its student community and the increasing demands of delivering a world-class educational experience.
The appointments follow a period of expansion for the School’s programmes, with rising student numbers and changing expectations around innovation, graduate employability and the overall student experience. The decision to share the role recognises both the School’s growth in education and the breadth of expertise needed to support its future development.
The new leadership structure builds on a period of strong performance across the School's programmes. Student experience and outcomes have improved steadily in recent years, with Biomedical Engineering achieving outstanding results in both the National Student Survey (NSS) and the Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey (PTES).
Professor Aslanidi brings extensive programme leadership experience to the role, having led the BEng and MEng Biomedical Engineering programmes since 2017. During his tenure, student numbers have grown substantially, while student satisfaction has remained exceptionally high. In 2026, the programmes were ranked the highest of all Russell Group universities for Biomedical Engineering, highlighting their national reputation among students across the UK.
Dr Melbourne has played a central role in shaping the School’s postgraduate education, leading the MSc Healthcare Technologies programme since 2019. He has helped establish and develop its offering while also leading the School's People & Culture Committee. In that capacity, he has supported initiatives focused on staff development, training and strengthening the School community.
I’m genuinely delighted to take on this new role alongside Professor Aslanidi. Our School’s education profile has grown so much in the last few years following Professor Rhode’s exceptional leadership and the opportunities for future development across our programmes are really quite exciting. There will be lots of new opportunities to contribute to teaching in the future and I’m looking forward to building a strong teaching community within the School.”
Dr Andrew Melbourne, Joint Head of Education, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences
Together, the pair will guide the next chapter of the School's educational strategy, building on existing successes while responding to the changing needs of students and the wider sector.
The announcement also marks the end of an era for Professor Kawal Rhode, who is stepping away from the School’s educational leadership to lead King’s Integrated Engineering programme. Recognised for helping to shape the School's education portfolio, Professor Rhode leaves behind a strong foundation and a reputation for excellence for the new leadership team to build upon.
I am excited to see what this new era of educational leadership will bring for our School, after Kawal’s remarkable tenure. Oleg and Andrew have been outstanding in leading their programmes’ success so far and I have great confidence in their ability to lead the School’s education delivery together towards excellence going forward. Congratulations to them both.”
Professor Sebastien Ourselin FREng FMedSci, Head of the School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences