As the Scottish Credit & Qualifications Framework (SCQF) marks its 25th anniversary in 2026, we’re shining a spotlight on the people shaping its direction — the SCQF Partnership (SCQFP) Board. First in the series, we meet our Chair, John Evans, who shares his insights into the Framework’s successes and challenges.

John was appointed to the role of SCQFP Board Chair in December 2023. 

He holds a number of non-executive positions in the private, public and third sector and is also a director of a Scottish League Football Club. John has worked in senior leadership roles across a range of sectors, including education.  

About John’s role

Q: What motivated you to apply for the role of SCQFP Board Chair?   

A: I had worked with the SCQFP during my time as HR Director with the police and also as Chair of a Sector Skills Council. I knew the importance of the work and the role to be played in creating a mobile and skilled workforce in Scotland. I felt I could bring an employer’s perspective o the Board.  

Q: What’s been the most rewarding aspect of serving on the Board?  

A: Seeing the SCQFP team and our contribution develop has been the most rewarding aspect. I believe we now truly understand our value and impact and how we can make a difference. For example, the recent collaboration with the British Council Scotland showed just how much we can offer to other countries.  

Strategic vision

Q: What do you see as the SCQF’s most important contribution to Scottish education and skills development in the past 25 years?   

A: The most important contribution has been providing a framework and common language for learning and qualifications in Scotland. We often take it for granted, but it’s been a long journey and we’ve benefitted from some fantastic contributions and people.  

Q: How do you see the SCQF evolving over the next 25 years?   

A: Recognition of Prior Learning will become increasingly important, particularly as people move between roles and sectors throughout their careers. For the SCQF, that means continuing to ensure that the processes around RPL are robust, trusted and clearly communicated. We are in the midst of a skills and work revolution that is possibly greater than the Industrial Revolution and we need to make sure that we have a mobile, agile and skilled workforce. I believe that AI makes human skills and judgement even more important and our work will be at the forefront of that evolution.   

Impact and value   

Q: Can you share an example of how you’ve seen the SCQF make a real difference to learners, training providers & employers?   

A: I have seen first-hand how the SCQF can transform training and development. One example that stands out is my work with the Scottish Police College, where learning moved from a largely rote-based approach to a more work-based model. Crucially, it gave that learning a recognised currency, allowing it to be understood and valued beyond policing. That shift did more than strengthen skills and knowledge – it helped broaden routes into leadership, influenced the profile of people being recruited, and ultimately supported better outcomes for communities across Scotland. 

Q: Why should learners, training providers and employers care about the SCQF?   

A: It gives us a common currency, understanding, standards and dialogue that connects employers, learning providers and qualification bodies and, most of all, has the learner at the heart of that framework.  

Collaboration 

Q: What makes the Partnership model effective for Scotland’s qualifications landscape?   

A: Just that …. it’s a partnership.  

Q: What’s one thing you’d like more people to understand about the SCQF?  

A: We need to make it simpler to understand – for everyone involved. I’m not sure that when a learner (or parent/carer) sees an SCQF level on a certificate they always know what it means. Likewise for employers. We do our utmost to help people understand the SCQF, but there’s always work to be done.

Learn more about the SCQFP Board at How We Operate.