Helping everyone plan their learning journey
The Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework Partnership (SCQFP) is the independent charity that is responsible for ensuring the quality and integrity of Scotland’s qualifications framework.
Our Framework helps people of all ages plan their learning journey. We work with a range of learning providers to ensure that a wide variety of learning is on the Framework, from Access to Computing and Advanced Ballet, to Youth Counselling and Zoology.
What we do
We help learners of any age understand their qualifications, skills and experience so they can plan their next steps, whether that’s in education or employment
We help parents and carers understand the different learning pathways available for young people
We support schools to expand their curriculum pathways through our highly successful School Ambassador Programme
We enable businesses to transform their recruitment through our Inclusive Recruiter scheme, filling skills gaps and aiding workforce retention
We provide expert advice on Recognition of Prior Learning so that students don’t have to repeat learning, saving them time and money
We support our credit rating bodies to deliver a quality assured credit rating process, enabling them to place learning programmes on the SCQF
We help countries develop their own qualifications frameworks and share good practice
Our values
Our Board
We are governed by a partnership Board of Directors, who meet quarterly, with board business moderated by an Independent Chair. The bodies represented on the Board have a prominent role in assuring the quality of lifelong learning in Scotland.
The company is governed by the four organisations that make up the partnership. These are QAA, SQA, CDN and Universities Scotland and they appoint Directors to the Board. We also have two additional co-opted Director, one representing employer interests and the other is the Chair of the SCQFP Quality Committee.
An independent Director is appointed as Chair of the Board by the Board of Directors.
John Evans
Chair of the BoardJohn’s career includes CEO and board level roles in HR, Marketing and Corporate Services in a range of sectors and regions. He is currently Deputy CEO of Borders Community Action. He holds professional HR, marketing and coaching qualifications. John is also a member of the Scottish Prison Service Advisory Board and a board member of Edinburgh Leisure, together with being Chair of BATs, a community sports organisation working across North Edinburgh.
Clare McPherson
Role: Appointed Director Universities ScotlandClaire McPherson, Director of Universities Scotland, brings extensive experience in shaping public policy at the highest levels of the UK and Scottish Governments. Her civil service career spans strategic roles in the First Minister’s Policy and Delivery Unit, and Deputy Director for Population and Migration. During her tenure as Deputy Director of Policy at the Scottish Funding Council, Claire played a pivotal role in the COVID-19 policy response and spearheaded a strategic review of higher education sustainability.
Marie Hendry
Role: Appointed Director College Development NetworkMarie Hendry is the Chief Executive of the College Development Network, which is the college sector’s development agency. Collaborating with SCQFP, she enhances the framework’s impact across colleges and skills systems. Formerly Depute Director at the Open University in Scotland, Marie also serves on the Public Engagement Committee of the international charity SCIAF.
Stuart McKenna
Role: Co-opted Director Scottish Training FederationStuart McKenna has been the Chief Executive of the Scottish Training Federation (STF) since February 2015. With 25 years in skills and training, he has focused on promoting Modern Apprenticeships. Previously, Stuart was Director of Skills at GoSkills and has worked with the Scottish Government, Sector Skills Alliance Scotland, and COSLA. Stuart is a member of the Apprenticeship Approval Group (AAG) and the Scottish Apprenticeship Advisory Board (SAAB).
Appointed Director – Vacant
Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education
Fiona Roberston
Role: Appointed Director SQAFiona Robertson, appointed Chief Executive of SQA and Scotland’s Chief Examining Officer in July 2019, brings a wealth of experience from her tenure as Director of Learning at the Scottish Government. With a background in economics and education, Fiona spearheaded initiatives like Curriculum for Excellence and the Scottish Attainment Challenge.
SQA, Scotland’s national awarding body, has integrated SCQF Credit and Levels into its qualifications development for nearly two decades. SQA is a provider of third party credit rating services and credit rates external organisations’ programmes so they can feature on the Framework.
Gillian Brydson
Role: Co-opted Director Chair of the SCQFP Quality CommitteeGillian is Executive Director of Education, Skills and Community Wellbeing for Dumfries and Galloway Council, having previously been Director of Education and a local authority chief officer for many years. Before moving to local government, she was a lecturer in the college and university sectors. Her current role has responsibility for overarching functions which have relevance to the work of the SCQFP, including schools, early years, adult and community learning and employability and skill. Through this, she brings her experience of the wider learning system to the Quality Committee. Gillian has significant experience at board level for public and third-sector organisations and is committed to building thriving communities through local democracy.