V&A director Sir Mark Jones to leave museum

Sir Mark was previously director of the National Museums of Scotland

The Victoria & Albert's director, Sir Mark Jones, is leaving his post for a role at Oxford University, the London museum has announced.

Sir Mark, knighted in the 2010 New Year's honours list for services to the arts, has been V&A director since 2001.

Its chairman, Paul Ruddock, said he had helped to make the V&A "the world's leading museum of art and design".

Sir Mark will take up his new role as Master of St Cross College, Oxford, in September 2011.

He said he had spent "10 enormously enjoyable years at the V&A", during which he worked with "an outstandingly talented team of staff".

During Sir Mark's directorship, the museum underwent a £120 million refurbishment that saw it open a new wing of Medieval and Renaissance galleries.

Visitor numbers, the gallery said, are now at the highest level in its 150-year history.

Before joining the V&A, Sir Mark was director of the National Museums of Scotland from 1992 to 2001.