The University Court is the governing body of the University. Its powers are set out in the University's constitutional document, which is 'The University of Abertay Dundee (Scotland) Order of Council 1994'.
Court comprises a maximum of 25 members including independent members, ex-officio members and staff and student members. Independent members remain an absolute majority. Court meets at least five times each year.
The primary responsibilities of the Court as the governing body of the University are set out in the Statement of Primary Responsibilities.
The current members of Court are:
Chair of Court/Independent Member (Retired Solicitor)
Murray Shaw is a retired solicitor and is a graduate of the University of Dundee. Qualified in 1982, Murray was a solicitor for over 30 years. He joined Biggart Baillie in 1982, becoming Senior Partner and Chairman in 2009, a position he held until the firm merged with DWF. He left DWF and joined Gillespie MacAndrew in 2014 and, having become Chairman there, he retired in 2017.
While his original workload included a broad range of disputes including commercial disputes, his experience in recent years has concentrated on planning and construction matters including judicial review and statutory challenges.
Murray was a member of the ICAS Discipline Board and Chairman of the ICAS Appeal Committee.
He is married with two sons and lives in Glasgow. His interests include golf, theatre-going and American history.
None
None
Significant involvement with any organisation with which the University might do business
None
None
Vice-Principal (Academic)/ex officio member
Professor Liz Bacon joined Abertay University as Vice-Principal and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) in 2018.
A former President of BCS – The Chartered Institute for IT, Professor Bacon is also current President of EQANIE (European Quality Assurance Network for Informatics Education) and a past Chair of the BCS Academy of Computing and the CPHC (Council of Professors and Heads of Computing) national committee.
She is also a Trustee of Bletchley Park Trust.
A Professor of Computer Science at Abertay, Professor Bacon’s research interests include computing policy, smart systems, security and technology enhanced learning.
She is passionate about the development of her discipline and is keen to inspire more people to choose computing as a career, with a particular commitment to supporting women in entering, and progressing in, the profession.
Director – Customer Services, Business & Public Sector / Independent Member
As Director for BT Business customer service, Andrew is responsible for managing the customer experience including new contracts implementation and faults and repairs for BT’s Corporate & Small/Medium Enterprise (SME) business customers together with Billing in the UK.
Andrew joined BT in 2011 having previously held a number of senior management and leadership positions at Sky Plc and Royal Bank of Scotland Plc.
Andrew has vast experience of customer service & large scale people operations together with programme & delivery management roles in the UK and Internationally.
He holds an MBA from Edinburgh Napier University Business School & resides in Perthshire.
PAID EMPLOYMENT
BT Group PLC
DIRECTORSHIPS ETC.
BT Scotland Board.
SIGNIFICANT INVOLVEMENT WITH ANY ORGANISATION WITH WHICH THE UNIVERSITY MIGHT DO BUSINESS
BT Group PLC
POSITION(S) OF AUTHORITY WITH ANY ORGANISATION(S) WHOSE POLICIES AND DECISIONS MIGHT BE SUPPOSED TO IMPACT ON THE UNIVERSITY
N/a
SIGNIFICANT PECUNIARY INTERESTS
N/a
Business Consultant/Independent Member
John was born in Angus and studied Law at Dundee University and Economics at St Andrews University.
He has 20 years’ experience in international corporate banking and project finance in the City of London, covering Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Upon returning to Scotland, he has worked in charity management and for a leading ethical bank providing advice and affordable loans to organisations in the charity, social enterprise and community sectors.
He has served on various boards and committees in the voluntary sector including social housing and recycling. For 8 years he was a member of the University of Dundee Audit Committee. He has served on several public policy commissions and is a founder member of the independent Commission on School Reform.
Married with two children, he lives in St Andrews where he enjoys driving the safety for the sailing club.
PAID EMPLOYMENT
Director of Vanellus Consulting Ltd
DIRECTORSHIPS ETC.
Trustee of Fife Law Centre - unremunerated
SIGNIFICANT INVOLVEMENT WITH ANY ORGANISATION WITH WHICH THE UNIVERSITY MIGHT DO BUSINESS
Nil
POSITION(S) OF AUTHORITY WITH ANY ORGANISATION(S) WHOSE POLICIES AND DECISIONS MIGHT BE SUPPOSED TO IMPACT ON THE UNIVERSITY
Nil
SIGNIFICANT PECUNIARY INTERESTS
Nil
Vice-Principal and Deputy Vice-Chancellor/Ex officio Member
As Vice-Principal and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (University Services), Mark is responsible for strategic planning and resource allocation, and for the University's support services. He line manages the heads of department for estates and campus services, business development, information services, finance, business development, communications, human resources, strategic planning, student recruitment, student services, and research, enterprise and innovation services.
Mark joined the University in 2013 after five years as chief executive of the Scottish Funding Council, the national body responsible for funding teaching and learning provision, research and other activities in Scotland's colleges, universities and other tertiary education institutions. In this role, he was accountable to the Scottish Parliament for the combined annual budgets of £1.6 billion allocated to the Funding Council, and responsible for ensuring the delivery of the Scottish Governments policy objectives for further and higher education.
Between 2003 and 2008, Mark was Director of Lifelong Learning for the Scottish Government, with overall responsibility for delivery of government policies on higher education, further education and skills.
Mark has held a number of previous posts including Director of Social Justice for the Scottish Executive from 2000, and Assistance Director of Finance in the Scottish Office and subsequently for the Scottish Executive from 1999.
Vice-Principal and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (University Services), Abertay University
Member of Board and Council of the Scottish Association of Marine Science (SAMS) non-remunerated
Non-executive Director, GGiS (The Goodison Group in Scotland), non-remunerated
Trustee, Robertson Trust, non-remunerated
Board Member, Scottish Association of Marine Sciences (SAMS), non-remunerated
As above
None
Former Chief Executive of Angus College/Independent Member
John Burt was Principal of Angus College for over 16 years.
Whilst at Angus College, John Burt held a variety of posts including Director of the Association of Scottish Colleges, Chair of Principals' Forum in Scotland and Director of Scottish Further Education Unit. He also served as a member on forums including Fife and Tayside Wider Access forum and Tayside Economic Forum.
A graduate of Edinburgh University and Moray House College, Mr. Burt has wide experience as a lecturer, educational manager and sectoral leader in Scotland. In 2006 Mr. Burt was awarded was awarded an OBE for services to Further Education in Scotland.
None
Trustee, Scottish Colleges Foundation
None
None
Program Manager at NCR Corporation/Independent Member
Gameelah Ghafoor heads NCR's Financial Software Security Portfolio. Gameelah has over twenty years experience within the software industry leading various technology driven solutions. In this capacity, she has worked with a range of industry, academic and public sector partners throughout her career. Gameelah is passionate about continuous learning.
Since graduating from Abertay University in 1994, Gameelah has owned her own retail business and has had numerous patents filed with the US Patent Office.
Gameelah is married with one daughter. She enjoys running having completed various 10K, half-marathons and a full marathon. Gameelah has also competed in the Royal National Mod with the Dundee Gaelic Choir.
Programme Manager, NCR FSG Ltd
None
None
None
Director of Workforce, NHS Grampian and NHS Orkney / Independent Member
Annie Ingram is the Director of Workforce for NHS Grampian and NHS Orkney. NHS Grampian is the third largest territorial Board in NHS Scotland and is also a teaching Board. NHS Orkney is the smallest territorial Board in Scotland. In addition, Annie has recently been appointed as an Assistant Chief Executive, in NHS Tayside. As the North Regional Lead for Workforce, she is working collaboratively with colleagues to implement a single workforce service for the North.
Annie has worked in the NHS most of her working life, staring in Greater London at Mount Vernon Hospital, before returning to Scotland. Annie has worked for NHS Lothian, NHS Tayside and now with Grampian. A fellow of CIPD, Annie has returned to a professional HR role in 2012 when she was appointed as the Director in Grampian. Immediately prior to this appointment, she had spent 13 years, initially managing clinical services including theatres, ICU, pharmacy and renal services; before establishing the model for Regional Planning in Scotland. During her time as the Director of Regional Planning & Workforce Development for the North of Scotland, working with six NHS Boards, Annie was also the National Programme Director for Remote and Rural Healthcare, developing and supporting the implementation of Scottish Government Policy to sustain remote and rural services.
Annie has an interest in European employment law and its impact on the NHS, with a research LLM which looked at the impact of the Acquired Rights Directive and TUPE on commercial tendering in the NHS and a PhD in the impact of Working Time on the NHS. Outwith work, Annie has interests in karate, gardening and her family.
PAID EMPLOYMENT
Director of Workforce, NHS Grampian
DIRECTORSHIPS ETC.
As above.
SIGNIFICANT INVOLVEMENT WITH ANY ORGANISATION WITH WHICH THE UNIVERSITY MIGHT DO BUSINESS
The NHS has significant links with the University, but this is more likely to be with the local NHS Board, than NHS Grampian.
POSITION(S) OF AUTHORITY WITH ANY ORGANISATION(S) WHOSE POLICIES AND DECISIONS MIGHT BE SUPPOSED TO IMPACT ON THE UNIVERSITY
Nil
SIGNIFICANT PECUNIARY INTERESTS
Nil
Director of cofink ltd. / Independent Member
His work brings collaborative design thinking to the complex challenges faced by universities, public sector organisations and businesses.
He was Director of the Glasgow School of Art from 2013 to 2018. Under his leadership the Art School opened two new academic schools, developed its campuses in Singapore and the Highlands and moved from 20th to 8th position in the QS World rankings for Art & Design education. During the period GSA became one of Scotland's leading Institutions for widening access for disadvantaged students. Previously Tom was Dean of Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design and Director of Research for Art, Science and Engineering at the University of Dundee. Between 2005 and 2010 he was Director of the AHRC/EPSRC Designing for the 21st Century Research Programme. Tom studied Engineering at the University of Bristol and Design at the Royal College of Art, his PhD explored how design develops the innovation capability of business.
Tom is passionate about the role Higher Education plays in transforming lives and the contribution made by universities to local communities and global knowledge.
cofink Ltd
cofink Ltd
None
Chair of Arts & Humanities Research Council Design Theme Advisory Group
Member of Scottish Funding Council Research & Knowledge Exchange Committee
None
Academic Registrar at Birkbeck, University of London / Independent Member
Fraser Keir was the first in his family to enter Higher Education. After completing an Access to Degree Studies Certificate at Moray College in Elgin he graduated with an MA (Honours) in History from the University of Aberdeen. He then went on to study at Dundee College for his Professional Diploma in Marketing and subsequently became a Member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing (MCIM). Fraser was awarded an MBA from the Open University in 2012.
Having grown up in a number of towns across the Highlands and Islands of Scotland Fraser now resides in Hertfordshire and works in central London at Birkbeck, University of London where he is a member of the senior management team.
Outside of work he enjoys spending time with his wife and two daughters, playing golf and keeping up with politics and current affairs.
Academic Registrar, Birkbeck, University of London
None
None
N/A – Although I am a Trustee of Christchurch, Harpenden
None
Vice Principal, Perth College UHI/Independent Member
Veronica has 30 years’ experience in leadership roles gained across local, regional and national government organisations in the areas of business development, marketing and international development. She is currently Vice Principal at Perth College UHI. Veronica was formerly a member of the Board of Governors at West Lothian College and currently sits on the board of Caledonia Housing Association. Veronica chairs the Business Development Directors Network of Scotland’s Colleges.
Veronica is a graduate of Abertay University and is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing. She is a qualified practising clinical solution focussed hypnotherapist and psychotherapist.
Paid employment
Perth College UHI, Vice Principal, External Engagement
Directorships etc.
Perth College UHI
Caledonia Group
Vital Life Solutions Hypnotherapy Ltd
Significant involvement with any organisation with which the university might do business
Perth College UHI
Head of Operations, Skills Development Scotland/Independent Member
Gordon has over 20 years’ progressive experience in managing complex public sector organisations. As Head of Operations for Tayside, Fife and Forth Valley, he is responsible for all Skills Development Activity in North East Scotland.
Born in Dundee, Gordon read history at St Andrews University before going on to further study at Napier, Dundee College and Abertay.
He is a Justice of the Peace for the Sherrifdom of Dundee, Central and Fife, sitting mainly in the Dundee Court and a trustee of the Dundee Heritage Environment Trust.
Head of Operations (North East Region), Skills Development, Scotland
Director/Trustee of Dundee Historic Environment Trust, Director of WorkNet International Ltd, Justice of the Peace - Sheriffdom of Tayside, Central and Fife
Skills Development Scotland
None
Digital Capability & Transformation Manager, Heineken / Independent Member
Biography and Register of Interests to be added
Chief Executive of 20/20 Business Group, Business Sector / Independent Member.
As Chief Executive of 20/20 Business Group, Tony is responsible for leading a Group of companies in the UK and US that provide project management training and consultancy services to leading organisations in the oil & gas, engineering & construction, aerospace & defence, utilities, nuclear, transport & logistic sectors.
Tony is a Fellow of The Association for Project Management, The Chartered Management Institute and of The Institute of Leadership & Management. He was the author of ‘2020 Project Management’ published by Kogan Page, and also wrote the Standard for Capital Projects Management for NHS Scotland. He is currently co-authoring a ‘Handbook of Project Controls’.
Tony previously founded and led a collaborative learning research company called BusinessLab ®, was a Director of Worldwide Learning (a division of Times Supplements), a Director of two software companies, and spent 10 years in project management with British Telecom. He has also been a Charity Trustee, served on the Scottish Enterprise Regional Advisory Board for Tayside and supported The Tay Cities Deal.
He resides in Broughty Ferry, Dundee and works throughout the UK.
20/20 Business Insight Ltd
20/20 Business Group Ltd
20/20 Business Insight Ltd
20/20 Intellectual Property Ltd
20/20 Project Management Ltd (non-trading)
20/20 Business Group Inc. (U.S.)
Also Trustee of The 20/20 Employee Ownership Trust
None
None
Married to Alison Marks, Senior Solicitor, Thorntons LLP (provider of legal services to Abertay University)
Former Director of Finance, NHS Tayside/Independent Member
Ian McDonald has had nearly 40 years’ experience within the National Health Service and was the Director of Finance for NHS Tayside between 2009 and June 2015.
Ian began his career in the NHS in 1975, gained an SHNC in Accounting from Perth College of Further Education in 1980 and is a qualified member of the Chartered Institute of Professional Financial Accountants.
For the last five and a half years, Ian was a co-opted external member of the Audit Committee prior to joining the lay membership of Court of 1 January 2015.
Married with 2 children (both Abertay graduates) and living in Dundee, Ian is a self-confessed keep fit fanatic as well as an avid follower of St Johnstone Football Club now that his playing days are over.
None
None
None
None
Higher Education Consultant/Independent Member
Jenny Rees is an experienced senior manager and director in higher and further education, currently a Board member of the UK Quality Assurance Agency for higher education (QAA) and also on the Board of Edinburgh’s Telford College and the Scottish Qualifications Authority’s Advisory Council. She has held a number of ministerial appointments and voluntary positions including serving on the Scottish Funding Council. She retired from Edinburgh Napier University in 2011 where she was Vice Principal (Academic Quality and Customer Service).
She started her career as a statistician in the brewing industry before moving into education as a lecturer at the University of Edinburgh. From responsibility for its part-time MBA programme, she developed her managerial career through posts at the Scottish College of Textiles, now part of Heriot-Watt University; Bell College, now part of the University of the West of Scotland; and Glasgow Caledonian University. Her responsibilities spanned academic quality; teaching & learning strategy; the quality of the student experience; corporate planning; marketing & communications; UK and international recruitment; and wider access.
She is now developing a portfolio of interim management and consultancy assignments to complement her board positions.
Consultant & Interim Manager, Dr Jenny Rees, Ltd
Director of Dr Jenny Rees Ltd
Significant involvement with any organisation with which the University might do business
None
Member of the Advisory Council of the Scottish Qualifications Authority
Public Interest member, Discipline Panel, Institute of Chartrered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS)
Head of Communities & Cultural Engagement, Perth & Kinross Council / Independent Member
Fiona Robertson began her career as a curator at Tate before moving into a range of culture and heritage management roles in Cumbria, London and South East England. She returned to Scotland in the early 2000s and shortly afterwards joined Scottish Government where she worked on policy areas including culture, housing, tackling poverty, and community empowerment. She joined Perth and Kinross Council in 2012 where she is responsible for arts and culture, sport and physical activity, adult and community learning, Gaelic development and Community Planning. She was Vice Chair of the National Library of Scotland and Chair of the Governance Sub-Committee from 2014- 2019. She has a postgraduate degree in Modern Scottish Writing.
PAID EMPLOYMENT
Chief Officer, Perth and Kinross Council
DIRECTORSHIPS ETC.
Board member, National Library of Scotland February 2014-present
Chair, Governance Committee, National Library of Scotland February 2014-present
Vice Chair, National Library of Scotland June 2014-present
This is a public appointment by Scottish Ministers. Appointment term ends 31 January 2019.
SIGNIFICANT INVOLVEMENT WITH ANY ORGANISATION WITH WHICH THE UNIVERSITY MIGHT DO BUSINESS
None
POSITION(S) OF AUTHORITY WITH ANY ORGANISATION(S) WHOSE POLICIES AND DECISIONS MIGHT BE SUPPOSED TO IMPACT ON THE UNIVERSITY
None
SIGNIFICANT PECUNIARY INTERESTS
None
Former Vice-Principal, Adam Smith College/Independent Member
Shirley has more than 30 years’ experience in Scotland’s college sector, having joined Glenrothes College in 1980 as a temporary part-time lecturer. Over her subsequent career, she held the posts of senior lecturer, Head of Faculty, Director of Curriculum, Associate Principal, Assistant Principal and finally, Vice-Principal of Adam Smith College. She also represented the College on a number of national strategy groups covering all aspects of tertiary education.
She played a key role in the merger of Glenrothes and Fife Colleges to form Adam Smith College in August 2005, and was closely involved in research which revealed Fife’s “degree deficit” – a smaller proportion of the population educated to degree level than most other parts of Scotland. After the merger, Shirley began to work closely with Abertay University, building on its long-established relationship with Fife College.
Shirley was instrumental in the setting up of the Abertay University Centre at Adam Smith College in 2008. This partnership has greatly improved access to high quality degree-level education for enthusiastic and able people in Fife, at a time and place that fits around their personal commitments and lifestyles. More than 1500 Fife people have now achieved degrees they might not otherwise have been able to study. In effect, their lives have been changed as a result of the work the Adam Smith/Abertay Partnership.
None
None
None
None
Principal and Vice-Chancellor/Ex officio Member
Nigel Seaton joined Abertay University as Principal and Vice-Chancellor in 2012.
Professor Seaton began his academic career at the University of Edinburgh, where he gained a BSc (Honours) in Chemical Engineering in 1982. He went on to do an MSE and a PhD in Chemical Engineering at the University of Pennsylvania. After completing his PhD in 1986, he worked as a research engineer with Atkins Research and Development and with BP.
From 1989 to 1997, he was Lecturer in Chemical Engineering at the University of Cambridge and a Fellow of Clare College. He was a visiting professor at Cornell University in 1996-97. In 1997, he returned to the University of Edinburgh as Professor of Interfacial Engineering. Between 1998 and 2007, he was successively Head of the School of Chemical Engineering, Head of the Division of Engineering, Head of the Institute for Materials and Processes, and Dean of Undergraduate Studies in the College of Science and Engineering. He then became Assistant Principal (Taught Programme Development) and later Vice-Principal (Academic). In 2008 he moved to the University of Surrey, firstly as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic Development) and then as Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor.
Professor Seaton is a Chartered Engineer, a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, and a Fellow of the Institution of Chemical Engineers.
Principal, Abertay University
Director, Equality Challenge Unit
Unit Director, JISC
Director, GuildHE
Trustee, Carnegie Trust for the Universities of Scotland
None
Head of Division of Mental Health Nursing and Counselling/Member elected by academic staff
Born in the UK, Kate has lived in Spain, Germany, Israel, and the US. After gaining an MA in Natural Sciences from Cambridge University, she came to Scotland to carry out a research PhD at St Andrews University. She stayed here to raise her two sons and undertook training to become a Counsellor. She joined Abertay in 2012 as a teaching fellow and currently leads the Division of Mental Health Nursing and Counselling. Her research interests include the process and mechanisms of change in therapy and the development of Pluralistic Counselling.
Outside of her family and work interests, Kate enjoys gardening, watching rugby and walking her dog.
PAID EMPLOYMENT
Abertay University
DIRECTORSHIPS ETC. None
SIGNIFICANT INVOLVEMENT WITH ANY ORGANISATION WITH WHICH THE UNIVERSITY MIGHT DO BUSINESS
None
POSITION(S) OF AUTHORITY WITH ANY ORGANISATION(S) WHOSE POLICIES AND DECISIONS MIGHT BE SUPPOSED TO IMPACT ON THE UNIVERSITY
None
SIGNIFICANT PECUNIARY INTERESTS
None
President of the Abertay Students’ Association / Ex officio Member.
Biography and Register of Interests to be added
On appointment, new members of Court are sent the following Template Letters of Appointment from the Chair and the Secretary.
The Abertay Students’ Association Vice-President is invited to attend all meetings of Court.
In accordance with the Scottish Code of Good HE Governance, the Secretary to Court and the Finance Director - as senior officers closely associated with the work of the governing body – have submitted details of any interests to the University register of interests - see below.
University Secretary
Abertay University
None
Non-Executive Director, APUC
None
Interim Director of Finance and Research Funding
Steve joined Abertay in April 2019 and is responsible for providing strategic financial insight, supporting transformational change and delivering financial leadership and direction across the University. Steve has extensive operational and consulting experience in financial and change management across a breadth of public and private organisations.
Abertay University
Trustee/NED of SACRO
None
None
Vacancies in the independent membership of Court arise from time to time and are advertised widely, including on the University website and through alumni. If you are interested in becoming an independent member of Court, please email the Secretary to Court at s.stewart@abertay.ac.uk to express your interest and further information will be provided to you.