Universities Scotland is seeking a new Director. Alastair Sim, the current Director, is leaving Universities Scotland (US) after 14 years’ of outstanding service.
Responding to Alastair’s planned departure in 2024, Professor Iain Gillespie, Convener of Universities Scotland and the Principal of the University of Dundee, said:
“Alastair has given an astonishing amount of commitment to Universities Scotland. Scotland’s university leaders are grateful for everything he has done to position universities as a central part of our nation’s success. We are also deeply grateful for his leadership during the Covid pandemic.
I am incredibly grateful to Alastair that he will be able to stay on to secure a successful transition.”
Announcing his intention to move on, Alastair said,
“I’m proud to represent the interests of Scotland’s higher education sector. It represents the very best of what our nation can be, with unwavering commitments to excellence and inclusion.
“It’s been a privilege to lead Scottish universities’ interaction with government, politicians and the media. As we start the competition to find my successor, I’m looking forward to handing on to somebody who shares my passion for universities’ contribution to the common good.
“I look forward to continuing to lead Universities Scotland until my successor takes up office.”
Universities UK has engaged the services of Minerva Search to assist with the recruitment of Alastair’s successor. This is an exciting opportunity to lead a membership organisation in support of one of the best higher education sectors in the world, with three universities in the world’s top 200.
Universities Scotland is a membership organisation made up of Principals and Vice-Chancellors of Scottish universities and the Principals and Directors of small specialist higher education institutions in Scotland and a national council of Universities UK.
The incoming candidate will be part of US’s unwavering commitment to promoting academic excellence, accessibility and fair access at every institution across the country. They will help to uphold Scotland’s world-class reputation for teaching, one which shapes students into global citizens, supporting them to be creative, entrepreneurial, and highly sought after by employers.
The Director will also represent the collective interest of the country’s diverse group of higher education institutions to the Scottish Government, Scottish Parliament, Scottish Funding Council, and a wider network of stakeholders. We are looking for a candidate with a good understanding of the Scottish educational and political landscape and someone who is comfortable amplifying the voice of the sector through external speaking, senior stakeholder meetings, and media engagement.
The candidate pack can be found online at Minerva Director, Universities Scotland – Minerva (minervasearch.com) with applications open until 20 October 2023.