News
December 22, 2015
Members appointed to the Scottish Further and Higher Education
Funding Council
The Cabinet Secretary for Education & Lifelong Learning today announced the
appointment of Paul Little, Dr Veena O’Halloran and Caroline Stuart as Members of
the Board of the Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Council.
The appointments, made on merit, of both male and female members has led to the
SFC retaining a gender balanced Board. It now sits with 7 female and 6 male
members.
The SFC’s diverse board, provides for the continuation of open discussions and
better informed decisions about further and higher education matters, and allows
different points of view to be considered; and demonstrates its commitment to
supporting equality and a 50/50 gender split on its board.
The Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Council is the national, strategic
body that is responsible for funding teaching and learning provision, research and
other activities in Scotland's 25 colleges and 19 universities and higher education
institutions. It is more commonly known as 'the Scottish Funding Council' or 'SFC'.
SFC is a Non-Departmental Public Body of the Scottish Government and was
established on 3 October 2005, replacing the former Scottish Further Education
Funding Council and Scottish Higher Education Funding Council with one body.
Caroline Stuart left Scotland to work in the City of London after graduating in
Technology and Business Studies from Strathclyde University in 1986. She trained
as an Investment Analyst and worked for Crown Agents and Charterhouse Bank.
She returned to Scotland and ran three companies before moving into business
consultancy. She was volunteer business advisor to the Princes Scottish Youth
Business Trust for 10 years. Currently employed by Oracle, the largest enterprise
software and hardware company in the world, as Director for Oracle Scotland, she
sits on various Boards and Committees - Chair of The Tech Partnership Scotland,
Skills Development Scotland, JGB Ltd, Glasgow Caledonian University Court,
Scotland IS, the Scottish Government’s Strategic Group on Work and Women and
the Scottish Government’s Digital Scotland Business Excellence Board. She is a
Trustee of Common Purpose, a member of the 2% club and an Honorary Fellow of
the RSA. Caroline is passionate about women in underrepresented areas such as
STEM subjects and boardrooms.
Paul Little is the founding Principal and CEO of City of Glasgow College, Scotland’s
largest college.
A Harvard Business School graduate and distinguished academic, Paul Little brings
a wealth of experience in Tertiary Sector transformation, curriculum innovation and
performance excellence.
He has for the past 28 years successfully led and reshaped five UK colleges earning
national and international reputation as visionary reformer, successful change agent,
merger specialist and thought leader in redefining college education.
He has successfully pioneered the merger of Glasgow’s specialist colleges into a
world class super College for 40,000 students. Home to one of the largest
international student bodies in Scottish further education, City of Glasgow College
welcomes over 1000 international students in the UK from 135 different countries
each year.
As a qualified yacht skipper, Paul enjoys sailing. He served with HM Coastguard as
a part-time search and rescue officer for 30 years, completed several tours of duty
with the US Coastguard and was decorated three times by the Queen.
Dr Veena O’Halloran completed honours BA and MA degrees at University College,
Galway, specialising in human geography. Winning a National University of Ireland
Travelling Studentship in Human Geography allowed her to do a PhD at St Andrews
University. In 1990 she commenced a career in Higher Education management and
worked at the universities of Abertay, Aberdeen, Dundee and Edinburgh, prior to
joining Strathclyde University in 2009. As Director of Student Experience and
Enhancement Services Dr O’Halloran leads 100 staff in front-line student and
academic support services. She focuses on Widening Access, working in partnership
with students and staff, Students’ Association, Schools, Glasgow City Council, the
Children’s University Trust and the MCR Foundation.
Dr O’Halloran is a member of the University Court at Strathclyde, the Senate, the
Equality & Diversity Strategy Committee, the Education Strategy Committee and the
University’s Leadership Group. She is passionate about education and empowering
young people by raising their aspirations and attainment. With a career in higher
education spanning 25 years, she brings extensive experience of strategic
leadership, policy development, people, project and change management, and
University governance.
These appointments will be for 4 years and will run from 4 October 2015 to 3
October 2019.
These appointments are part-time and attract remuneration of £327.46 per day for a
time commitment of 3 days per month.
Caroline Stuart is a board member of Skills Development Scotland and receives
remuneration of £6300 per annum for a time commitment of 2-3 days per month.
Paul Little and Dr Veena O’Halloran hold no other Ministerial Appointments.
These appointments are regulated by the Commissioner for Ethical Standards in
Public Life in Scotland.
All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the
selection process. However, in accordance with the original Nolan
recommendations, there is a requirement for appointees’ political activity within the
last five years (if there is any to be declared) to be made public. None of the new
appointees have undertaken political activity in the last five years.