Could you be SFC’s next Chair?

After seven and a half years as Chair of the Scottish Funding Council it’s time to step down. 

Over those years the SFC Board has made investment decisions in our universities and colleges totalling over £13 billion; investments that have benefited hundreds of thousands of Scottish students, staff, researchers and innovators. This is my opportunity to encourage you to consider standing to be SFC’s next Chair. 

As such, you’ll be leading the organisation to complete the Minister’s reform programme as SFC takes on responsibility for apprenticeship funding, bringing together the funding of all post-16 provision into one organisation and making the system simpler and more efficient. You will be doing so in the midst of what are undoubtedly challenging times across further and higher education, working alongside institutions as they navigate a particularly tight fiscal environment and you’ll be leading the SFC Board as it considers the strategic choices to support and develop the sectors through the next parliamentary term. 

On reflection, my term in post has certainly been a rollercoaster, negotiating the extreme challenges of the pandemic and now the financial travails the entire UK system faces. But it has also been the most rewarding role I’ve ever had. I’ve had the opportunity to meet with leaders and learners, researchers and innovators, decision makers and policymakers. I’ve heard the most inspirational stories from those furthest from the workforce who, thanks to the funding SFC disperses, have transformed their lives. And I’ve learned about the most exciting research and innovations that will make such a fundamental difference to the world around us. 

This is one of the most significant roles in Scotland’s public sector for a reason. Beyond advising Ministers and leading the exceptional SFC Board and staff, the SFC Chair must be available to support the chairs/governors and courts/boards of all 43 colleges and universities. Additionally, the extended skills remit means the next Chair will develop relationships with leaders from the employer community too. 

Beyond all this though, a prosperous Scotland, where our people and our businesses flourish. will depend on the success of our universities and colleges and the private training providers that work alongside them. Through your term of office, hundreds of thousands of learners will enjoy world class teaching, and the power of our research and innovation community will fuel economic growth to the envy of the world. 

So this is your opportunity to make a real difference to the lives of the Scottish people, the Scottish economy and the world around us. As such, I simply cannot commend this role enough to you.  

My very best wishes to you.