A PROMINENT professor of education whose research had global influence has died aged 77.

Michael Eraut, who lived in Lewes, was a well-repected lecturer at the University of Sussex, renowned for his academic prowess and warm personality.

He was born in 1941 in Rawalindi, now in Pakistan. His father, Ruarc Eraut, served as a lieutenant colonel for the British army. His mother, Frances (nee Hurst) was a teacher.

The family moved to the UK in 1947 and he studied at Winchester College. Prof Eraut enjoyed classical music, Russian literature and also won prizes for athletics and gymnastics.

In 1959 he gained a scholarship to Trinity Hall, Cambridge, and studied natural sciences and completed a PhD in chemistry.

He met his wife Cynthia Wynne, who was studying at Girton College. The couple married in 1964 and had two sons, Patrick and Christopher.

Prof Eraut won a scholarship to study at the University of Illinois in the department of Instructional Development.

In 1967 he was hired by the University of Sussex to develop its newly created Centre for Educational Technology. His academic career continued to flourish in Sussex. He served as the director of the Institute for Continuing and Professional Education from 1986 to 1991.

He improved various graduate programmes and secured grants to support the institution.

Prof Eraut wrote many protocols for studying learning materials which are now used by many institutions. He also wrote a series of publications for the International Encyclopaedia of Educational Research.

His last book, Learning Trajectories, Innovation and Identity for Professional Development, was published in 2013 and it won an Outstanding Publication Award from the Education in the Professions division of the American Educational Research Association (AERA).

More than 50 students achieved PhDs under his mentorship and they recalled he was patient and inspirational.

He retired in 2006 but continued to do consultancy work for Surrey University and the Australian National University.

In his spare time, he enjoyed walking on the South Downs.

Prof Eraut died on September 7.