Kevin Marsh succeeded Rod Liddle as Today editor in 2002

Kevin Marsh, who was in charge during the Hutton affair, is leaving to become editor-in-chief of the corporation's college of journalism.

Mr Marsh also edited shows such as The World At One and won numerous awards.

Lord Hutton found Today's 2003 report on Iraqi weapons was "unfounded". A BBC inquiry said reporter Andrew Gilligan did not follow proper processes.

Direction

Mr Marsh's new brief will be to help shape the direction of the journalism college.

He said he was "enormously excited" by the prospect of taking on the role.

"After 17 years as a front line programme editor I am really looking forward now to using that experience to help maintain BBC journalism as a gold standard of international journalism," he said.

The college's director Vin Ray said: "Kevin's enormous experience will now be put to the use of BBC journalism as a whole."

Stephen Mitchell, BBC head of radio news, called Mr Marsh "one of the most thoughtful and innovative Today editors".

Acclaimed reporting

He added: "He has also been one of the most creative of editors, never settling for second best and always putting the interests of the audience first."

Radio 4 controller Mark Damazar said Mr Marsh would be "a very tough act to follow".

BBC director general Greg Dyke resigned over the Hutton inquiry

The BBC defended Mr Marsh over what the corporation called "implied criticism" from Lord Hutton about an e-mail the editor sent to a senior colleague criticising Mr Gilligan's reporting methods.

The inquiry included other emails by Mr Marsh, which revealed his soul searching over the death of Dr David Kelly, whom he called "a very good man".

The government scientist killed himself in 2003 after being named as the possible source of Mr Gilligan's story, which claimed the government had "sexed-up" a dossier on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction

Mr Marsh first joined the BBC as a news trainee in 1978.

He has edited The World This Weekend, PM and Broadcasting House and produced specials for BBC Radio 4, winning numerous Sony Awards.

During his editorship Today featured investigative reports such as the recent series on child abuse within African churches.

Mr Marsh also introduced innovations such as a focus on citizenship journalism and the guest editor slots, featuring the likes of former Home Secretary David Blunkett.

Its weekly audience hit 6.23m in the final quarter of last year, up 160,000 on the summer.