New Chair announced

The Minister for Higher and Further Education has announced that Professor Cara Aitchison has been appointed as Chair of the Scottish Funding Council. Professor Aitchison has been Interim Co-Chair since April 2025, working alongside Deputy Chair, Lorna Jack.

Professor Aitchison has had a distinguished academic career holding senior leadership roles in Scotland, the wider UK, and internationally – including over a decade as a successful university principal in England and Wales. She is an Honorary Professor at the University of Edinburgh’s Moray House School of Education, where she was previously Head of School, and Professor Emerita in Geography and Cultural Economy at Cardiff Metropolitan University where she was previously President and Vice-Chancellor.

Amongst Professor Aitchison’s previous contributions in the public sphere are membership of the Economic Growth Board of Cardiff Capital Region and the Council of CBI Wales. She was also chair of Universities UK’s Staff-Student Sexual Misconduct Advisory Group and Chair of the Wales-Ukraine Universities Group established by Universities Wales and Welsh Government.

A native of Stirling, Professor Aitchison is a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences, the Royal Geographical Society, the Learned Society of Wales, and the Higher Education Academy.

Commenting on Professor Aitchison’s appointment, Higher and Further Education Minister, Graeme Dey, said “Professor Aitchson brings with her extensive knowledge and experience and I am confident that she is absolutely the right appointment to lead the board of the Scottish Funding Council.

“We are embarked upon a significant reform programme, encompassing the entire post-school education and skills landscape, within which it is intended the SFC will take on important additional responsibilities.

“Having worked with her over the past few months I am in no doubt that Professor Aitchison is the right person to take on this role and help shape the short, medium and long term direction of a repurposed SFC.’’

Welcoming the appointment, Francesca Osowska, Chief Executive of the Scottish Funding Council, said: “I am very much looking forward to working with Cara as our new Chair and join the other members of the Board and SFC staff in welcoming her to the role. Her wide understanding of tertiary education and research will be a huge asset to the Scottish Funding Council, as will her track-record of business partnership.”

Professor Aitchison said: “I am delighted to take on a role that is pivotal to enabling successful outcomes for students, communities, and the economy across the whole of Scotland. I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the work of my predecessor, Mike Cantlay, and to recognise the significant contribution over the last few months of Lorna Jack with whom I’ve greatly enjoyed sharing the role of Interim Chair; I very much look forward to continuing to work with Lorna as she resumes her role as Deputy Chair.

“I’ve been very impressed by the leadership and staff within SFC and by the commitment of the Board; we are well placed to deliver the reform programme while supporting colleges and universities to deliver education, research, innovation and skills within a very challenging financial environment. ”

Further details can be found on the Scottish Government website.