Meet the Quality Committee: Karen Murray

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16 July 2025
3 minutes
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In our new blog series featuring our Quality Committee (QC) members, we speak to Karen Murray, who is the head of work-based quality delivery at Skills Development Scotland.

Headshot of Karen Murray, member of the SCQF Partnership Quality Committee
  • What attracted you to the role of Quality Committee member?

I am a huge advocate of the SCQF as a means to create rigour into skills qualifications and learning in Scotland.

Having done some credit rating activity in my own subject area and having been involved in qualification development for a number of years, I really felt I wanted to understand more and contribute to maintaining the integrity of the framework and its use, so when the vacancy came up. I was very pleased to apply for it.

  • How long have you been working with the SCQF Quality Committee?

I think it was in 2017 that I first became a member, but it may have been earlier. It always amazes me how quickly the quarterly meetings come around.

I have definitely seen three quality committee chairs (possibly four?) and two SCQFP Chief Executives in my time served!

  • How did you work/life experience prepare you for the role?

I felt that I knew quite a lot about the SCQF and its many uses when I applied to be on committee, through my qualification development experience and credit rating activity in the land-based sector.

I also thought that my background in managing the quality assurance and enhancement of apprenticeships, and previously having being Assistant Principal of Quality Assurance and curriculum at a college, meant that I was well prepared. However, I have learned so much more from the committee and continue to do so.

It’s great to work alongside colleagues from different parts of the education sector and the SCQF executive team. I learn so much from them all.

  • In your opinion, why is the quality assurance aspect of the work that the SCQF Partnership does so crucial?

It’s vital to maintain the integrity of the SCQF and its reputation as a way of applying robust standards. This allows qualifications and learning to be both levelled and quantified in a quality-assured way.

Through the quality assurance work of the Partnership, we are validating the work of credit rating bodies and Scottish learning provision, which is crucial to the reputation of Scottish learning provision. The SCQF is truly the key to supporting flexible learning paths.

  • What challenges have you come across relating to the SCQF?

My biggest bugbear is that I don’t know how many people I have to explain to that the SCQF level is independent of the amount of credit in a qualification. So many people – even those who have been in skills for a long time – want to associate the amount of credit with the level. It drives me nuts!

Glossary Term

Authority

Appears at Level 12 only where it is used in the phrase ‘demonstrate substantial authority’, reflecting a recognised high level and depth of expertise/expert knowledge and understanding, along with confidence. It does not mean ‘exercise authority over staff and resources’ etc, as that could clearly apply at earlier levels.

Glossary Term

Exercise

Used in connection with management and/or supervisory responsibility, denotes a requirement of a formal, substantive role.

Glossary Term

Directive

Applied to ‘supervision’, signifies a task or activity that is guided.

Glossary Term

Graphical Data

Encompasses maps, plans, diagrams, tables and graphs.

Glossary Term

Synthesis

Combine discrete elements into a coherent whole.

Glossary Term

Analysis

Examine in detail with a view to explanation and interpretation.

Glossary Term

Present

Set out, put forward, deliver information using a variety of mediums as appropriate.

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Hypothetical

Supposed, assumed for the sake of argument.

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Straightforward

Clear and uncomplicated activity, but not as demanding or systematic and therefore not as advanced as ‘routine’.

Glossary Term

Creativity

Often used in combination with ‘originality’. There is overlap in definition, but the defining characteristic of creativity appears to be imagination.

Glossary Term

Originality

Often used in combination with ‘creativity’. There is overlap in definition, but the defining characteristic of originality appears to be independence.

Glossary Term

Professional

Used throughout as an adjective and applied to terms including level, skills, techniques, practices, contexts, and issues where it bears broad interpretation as ‘behaving appropriately/doing things properly and well and to notions of accepted, (including externally) prescribed standards’, as well as narrow, relating to a specific occupation designated as a profession. In this latter sense, the term applies in all contexts including academic study, eg footnoting properly.

Glossary Term

Unfamiliar

New territory for an activity.

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Routine

Used as an adjective throughout and applied to terms including skills, tasks, elements, practices, contexts, methods and problems where it describes activity that is standard, usual, unvarying, customary, common.

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Everyday

Slightly more advanced and beyond personal but a known experience/activity encountered/applied regularly - less advanced than ‘familiar’.

Glossary Term

Familiar

Often encountered or experienced; common; something one has a good knowledge of - more advanced than ‘personal’ and ‘everyday’, not as advanced as ‘routine’.

Glossary Term

Personal

An experience relating only or primarily to the person – one would expect to start here then widen out into the rest of the world, so not as advanced as ‘familiar’.

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Critical

Fully informed, capable of supporting in-depth analysis and assessment.

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Discerning

Using judgement to recognise differences but not fully equipped/informed to analyse and discuss them in depth, so less advanced than critical.

Glossary Term

Awareness

Consciousness, including a background consciousness. Can be a starting point for further exploration.

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Appreciation

A sense, perception, a hold, fix or grasp of one or more of the various aspects of a subject/discipline/sector.

Glossary Term

Understanding

A thorough and firm grasp of a subject/discipline/sector or an element or elements of it, derived from education/study, experience and reasoning in appropriate combination. Can be defined as ‘know why’, as opposed to ‘know that’. More holistic knowledge of processes and contexts, so more advanced than appreciation and knowledge.

Glossary Term

Simple

Undemanding activity not necessarily part of a formal structure - not as advanced as ‘basic’.

Glossary Term

Knowledge

Facts, ideas, theories and concepts in a subject/discipline/sector acquired through experience and/or education – a surer grasp than appreciation so more advanced.

Glossary Term

Basic

Activity is early stepping stone on a structure or framework that can be built upon – more advanced than ‘simple’.