QAA appoints new Acting Director for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

In August 2021, Alastair Delaney accepted the role of Executive Director of Operations and Deputy Chief Executive of QAA. With the new year, Alastair will now spend more of his time in this new function. He brings to the role a keen understanding of the expectations and priorities of all three nations with regards to quality, standards and enhancement, and will continue to ensure that the nations’ views are represented at all levels.

Succeeding him as Acting Director, Scotland Wales and Northern Ireland (SWNI) is Caroline Turnbull. Caroline has over 20 years’ experience working in a variety of quality related roles in Scottish higher education, and has worked for QAA for over 6 years, supporting our Enhancement-led Institutional Review (ELIR) work in Scotland, supporting reviewer training and undertaking institutional liaison. Caroline has also played a key role in the delivery of Scotland’s Enhancement Themes, particularly driving the student-led project activity delivery in partnership with sparqs and the delivery of our hugely popular Enhancement Conferences.

Alastair will retain responsibility for certain operational aspects of the delivery in Wales and Northern Ireland, as well as continuing to provide strategic leadership for the work across SWNI more widely.

Caroline will lead and manage the SWNI team and ensure the operational delivery of the work in SWNI, taking the lead for the delivery of the work in Scotland.

With the new appointment in place, Alastair will be able to take forward his DCEO role, leaving operational delivery in Caroline’s capable and experienced hands.

Commenting on her new role, Caroline said:

I’m very pleased to be taking on this new opportunity. We have a lot of really exciting activities planned for the year ahead, including our Enhancement Conference on the 8 and 9 of June, and I’m looking forward to working with everyone on the delivery of our work in Scotland.