The Herald Higher Education Awards

Barclay McBain, Executive Editor, The Herald

Chair of the judging panel

I joined The Herald’s London office in 1980 as a news, business and politics reporter.  I joined The Herald’s Glasgow team of reporters after a couple of years in London, working in the newsroom.  I was appointed education correspondent before becoming a leader writer, then chief leader writer, then managing editor, then assistant editor, senior assistant editor before becoming deputy editor, and now my current role Executive Editor.  I also duty edit the Sunday Herald in the absence of Editor Neil Mackay.  I am looking forward to seeing all your submissions and recognising all the great work happening in the Scottish Higher Education sector.

John Kemp, Interim Chief Executive, Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Council

John Kemp is currently Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Funding Council. His previous post was Director of Access Skills and Outcome Agreements at the Council, responsible for outcome agreements for universities and colleges, leadership of its work on access, skills and quality as well as supporting mergers and collaborations. He has been with the Council in a variety of roles since 2000. Before working for the Funding Council he worked in publishing and local government. He has also taught and served on governing bodies in both the college and university sectors.

Ailsa Crum, Head of Quality & Enhancement, QAA Scotland

Ailsa Crum is Head of Quality & Enhancement at QAA Scotland having worked with QAA since 1998, first as Assistant Director and later as Head of Reviews. Her current role involves designing and implementing the Enhancement-led Institutional Review method and leading an exciting programme of enhancement and development activity in close association with the Scottish university sector and its students. Ailsa’s previous Higher Education posts were at the organisation now known as Universities Scotland and at The Robert Gordon University. Ailsa went to school in Wick and consequently was one of the few students to travel south to study at the University of Aberdeen. She has a love of learning and promoting student engagement having also studied at the Robert Gordon University and both Strathclyde and Glasgow universities. Over the last fifteen years, she has developed an academic interest in creative education and has recently completed a PhD at the University of Glasgow. Ailsa is on the editorial board for the literary journal, Mulberry Fork, and has performed stand-up comedy with The Bright Club.

Jason Miles – Campbell, Head of Jisc Scotland and Jisc Northern Ireland

As head of Jisc Scotland and Northern Ireland, Jason has responsibility for ensuring outstanding service for Jisc customers and communities in both nations. Jisc provides Scotland’s universities and colleges with digital infrastructure and services (such as the superfast Janet Network), saves the sector time and money by negotiating sector-wide deals with IT vendors and digital resource publishers, and offers expert and trusted advice on digital technology for education and research. Through teams of account managers, Jason works to ensure Scottish universities and colleges get the most out of their Jisc membership.

With a background in law, Jason’s passion for education began with a lectureship at the University of Abertay in Dundee. Whilst specialising in European law, consumer law and then IT law, he became an enthusiastic adopter of technology in teaching, including use of online self-assessment with large classes, delivering learning material through a virtual learning environment and use of video for teaching and feedback. He also gained valuable experience through undertaking a secondment as head of law. In 2004, Jason became service manager at Jisc Legal, and in January 2015, he took up his present role as head of Jisc Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Beyond his enthusiastic evangelism for good use of technology in education, he enjoys running, cooking (haggis wontons are a speciality), judging school debates, gadgets, travel and music.

James Dornan MSP, Convenor of the Education and Skills Committee, Scottish Government

James Dornan MSP has been the Member of the Scottish Parliament for Glasgow Cathcart since 2011. Previously James represented Langside ward on Glasgow City Council, and was the leader of the SNP council group.  James is currently the Convener of the Education and Skills Committee at the Scottish Parliament and he is completely committed to the development of young people in education from the cradle onwards. James is passionately dedicated to life-long learning across Scotland.

Luke Humberstone, President of the National Union of Students Scotland

Luke Humberstone was elected President of the National Union of Students Scotland in March 2017, having held the role of President of the Highlands and Islands Students’ Association for two years.

His priorities as NUS President have included mental health, student funding, widening access and building on NUS Scotland’s work developing college student associations.

Alistair McKay – Regional Manager, SQA

Alistair is a Regional Manager and has worked in a field based role working with SQA’s customers for 7 years. He enjoys working directly with schools, colleges, the private, public and third sectors in order to grow SQA’s business and reputation. Prior to joining SQA, he worked as Lead Officer with Fife Council.

Monica Langa – Executive Search Consultant, Dixon Walter

Monica has a BSc Economics and an MSc Investment Analysis as well as holding qualifications by the Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development (CIPD), Chartered Institute of Bankers in Scotland, and the Institute of Directors Certificate in Company Direction.

She spent her early career in HR before retraining as an Investment Analyst. She is a former Head of Membership at the Institute of Directors in Scotland with 12 years of board-level experience in charitable and private sector organisations. Monica has worked in executive search since 2013.