Tributes were paid to the "inspirational" and "ambitious" leadership of the registrar and secretary from 1982 to 1998, whose persona and style were described as permeating the whole university.

"Everybody knew him and he knew everybody," said a former colleague. "Porters or professors, it made no difference. He had time for everyone. He operated an open door policy at all times, from 7.30am to 7pm."

Dr Padley died aged 65 of a suspected heart attack. The funeral is today in Ombersley, Worcestershire.

As the university's most senior administrator, he was renowned not only for his organisational skills but also for his ambition and dynamism in driving through ideas, whether they be the forging of links with international students, the expansion of the campus around St George's and Portobello or the upgrading of premises.

His demanding standards were leavened by his humour. University newsletters on April 1 carried reports on the relocation of the arts tower to a nearby safer site because of the 'Ranmoor Rift', the chemistry's department's perfection of a way of making gold and a £200m deal with a US consortium that would mean the engineering department relocating to Alaska (with free use of huskies for staff).

Describing himself as a working class lad from a mining village in North Nottinghamshire, Dr Padley's route to higher education administration was via the civil service, working for the Department of Education in the Seventies where he wrote speeches for Margaret Thatcher.

His arrival in Sheffield was accompanied by a desire for rapid progress, which could be at odds with the slow pace of university committees. One colleague described him as "dynamite".

Former vice-chancellor Prof Geoffrey Sims, who appointed him, said: "John Padley was an extremely gifted man.
He had remarkable energy and was always ambitious for the university.

"He always had an eye open for an opportunity to expand the university's influence in a general sense."

Former pro-vice-chancellor Prof David Luscombe said: "John was very hard working, very dedicated and highly effective as the head of the university's administration over 17 years, which is a long time in such a high profile position.

"He did a very great deal in bringing more international students to the university of Sheffield and he did a great deal to forge links between the university and further education colleges up and down the country, which was an important feature in the 1990s."

Dr Roger Allum, who worked closely with Dr Padley as director of public relations, said he was an inspirational colleague who played a major role in raising the profile of the university at home and overseas.

"He brought panache and style to the management of the institution and ensured that it had a competitive edge in the increasingly robust field of higher education.

"He was a pivotal figure in the development of the university estate and in establishing Sheffield as a premier destination for international students. He was also one of the main driving forces behind the creation of the world-class journalism department in the early 1990s."

Dr David Fletcher, the university's current registrar and secretary, described Dr Padley as a person of vision, drive and enthusiasm as well as a colourful character and strong personality. "He contributed in a major way to the development of the University of Sheffield and we are saddened at his passing."

After his departure from the university, Dr Padley spent three years in retirement in Sheffield before moving with his wife Meg to Ombersley in 2001, to be near a daughter, Bridget, and then to Bromsgrove in 2006. He also leaves another daughter, Philippa.