New Board members announced

The Scottish Funding Council (SFC) has announced the appointment of three new members to its Board. The appointments come at a significant moment for SFC as it prepares to take on expanded responsibilities for national training programmes, including apprenticeships, following the implementation of the Tertiary Education and Training (Funding and Governance) (Scotland) Act 2026.

Joining the Board are Caroline Lamb, Paul McCourt and Dr Jacqueline Hall. Dr Hall has also been appointed Chair of SFC’s new Apprenticeship Committee, which will be formally established from 1 April 2027. The new members will reflect SFC’s expanded remit across tertiary education, skills, research and innovation, bringing together funding, planning and oversight for a wider range of post-school provision.

As SFC takes on a wider role across Scotland’s skills system and works alongside employers to address current and future workforce needs, bringing greater business and industry experience onto the Board is an important priority.

Dr Jacqueline Hall is Head of Apprenticeships and Skills at BAE Systems and Chair of the Scottish Apprenticeship Advisory Board’s Standards and Framework Committee. She has held a range of senior roles in skills development, apprenticeship policy, workforce planning and further education throughout her career. As Chair of SFC’s Apprenticeship Committee, she will help guide the organisation’s work as responsibility for apprenticeships transfers to SFC.

Caroline Lamb recently retired after serving as Director General of Health and Social Care and Chief Executive of NHS Scotland from 2021 to 2026. She previously held senior leadership roles within the Scottish Government and NHS Education for Scotland, where she served as Chief Executive. Her career has also included leadership positions in higher education, housing and audit.

Paul McCourt is Chief Financial Officer at InPost UK and Interim Managing Director and Director of Finance at Menzies Distribution. He brings extensive experience in finance, audit, business transformation and governance, having held senior leadership positions across logistics, technology and professional services organisations.

Commenting on the appointments, Chair of the SFC Board, Professor Cara Aitchison, said:

“I’m delighted to welcome our new Board members. They bring a wealth of leadership experience from across education, business, industry and skills, strengthening the breadth of expertise that supports SFC’s work.

 

“As we move through a period of significant change for Scotland’s tertiary education and skills system, we will continue to work closely with the Scottish Government and our partners, to help shape and deliver reform of tertiary education, skills and research in Scotland.

 

“Our colleges and universities continue to face a challenging operating environment, with financial pressures and increasing demands on the sector. Supporting institutions to navigate these challenges while maximising their impact to Scotland’s social and economic wellbeing remains a key priority.

 

“The new members joining the Board will bring valuable perspectives, insight and experience to our discussions and decision-making. I look forward to working with them in the months and years ahead.

 

“I would also like to thank our outgoing Board members for their commitment, expertise and service, and for the important contribution they have made to SFC’s work.”

Jacqueline Hall has taken up her position on 23 October while Caroline Lamb and Paul McCourt will join the Board on 4 November 2026. Their appointments run until November 2030.