QAA completes Senior Leadership Team as it embarks on ‘new and exciting direction’

QAA has completed its new Senior Leadership Team with the appointment of Alastair Delaney as Director for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Alastair will lead QAA's role in supporting Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to deliver quality enhancement-focused approaches to higher education and will also lead QAA's European engagement for all of the UK. He has extensive quality assurance and regulatory experience, most recently with Healthcare Improvement Scotland, and has worked for many years with Education Scotland. Alastair has significant experience of further education, community learning and education in prisons.

Alastair said: I am absolutely delighted to be joining QAA at such an important time for the sector. The recent general election result has potentially clarified some things, but it has also raised other questions. I am looking forward to listening to those working in the sector in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland so that I can understand how best to support them in delivering the highest quality learning experiences for students at such a time of change.

Alastair will focus on QAA's response to plans to create a Tertiary Education and Research Commission for Wales and to the implementation of the 15-24 Learner Journey Review in Scotland, as well as a significant level of European engagement work.

His appointment follows three other recent appointments to the Senior Leadership Team: Ben Potter, Director of Quality Assessment, England; Ian Bassett, Director of Membership, Quality Enhancement and Standards, and Stephanie Sandford, Director of International and Professional Services.

Vicki Stott, QAA's Executive Director of Operations and Deputy CEO, said: 'We're delighted Alastair has agreed to join us. He will bring great experience and expertise to the role, and I'm excited to see the benefits he will bring to higher education in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

'Alastair is the last piece in the puzzle for us in terms of our team of Directors - and we've got a great new team to take QAA in its new and exciting direction. As a membership organisation, we're now delivering enhancement to 245 colleges and universities across the UK. As policy directions lead to greater coherence across tertiary education, we're well placed to support higher education adapt to the changes. Alastair will be key in ensuring QAA continues to be a four-nations body, within a UK framework that supports the international success of our universities and colleges.'

Alastair will start his new role on 8 January 2020.

You can find out more about QAA membership on the QAA website, as well as our recent launch of international accreditation.