Our Lead Members

As well as convening policy committees, Principals also lead on other important sector-wide issues. They drive policy development and engage with a variety of stakeholders, representing the sector.

The term of office for Lead Members is two years, with the possibility of serving a second term. For AY 2021/22 Universities Scotland Lead Members cover Health and Mental Health.

Professor Peter Mathieson, Principal of the University of Edinburgh, is the Lead Member for Health. Peter is responsible for taking the strategic lead  on issues relating to controlled subjects in health (medicine, dentistry and nursing and midwifery). Current priorities including engaging closely with the development of Outcome Agreements in this space and the numbers (and processes around determining) student places.

Professor Lynn Kilbride, Vice Principal for Academic Development and Student Experience at Robert Gordon University is the US lead for Mental Health. The group is working on implementing the recommendations of the Thriving Learners report, which was undertaken in partnership with the Mental Health Foundation and published in 2021. Areas of specific focus include long-term sustainable mental health funding for the sector; embedding direct referral pathways to the NHS for students; and reducing student poverty, which has been shown to negatively impact mental health.