Commissioners

David Watson is an historian and Professor of higher education management at the Institute of Education, University of London and a member of the Board of the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority. Prior to this he was Vice Chancellor of the University of Brighton (1990 – 2005), a member of the Higher Education Funding Council (England) and of the National Committee of Inquiry into Higher Education (the Dearing Committee).

A further ten experts have been invited by the Chair and NIACE to join the Commission. The group includes people with experience in government, business, public service and academia from across the UK.

Carol Bannerman:
Carol Bannerman is a distinguished F.E. College Principal, now at Bolton Community College. Up until 2007 Carol was Principal at Waltham Forest College, and at Oldham College previous to that. Carol has had a major impact on equality of opportunity in the sector, most notably for black staff. Carol was a member of the Commission until February 2008.

Helen Gilchrist:
Dr Helen Gilchrist CBE is an educational consultant working in the FE sector; she also acts as director of the Tertiary College Group. She was co-author of the 2007 strategic review of the Association of Colleges. Previously, she was Principal of Bury College, Greater Manchester, and a Beacon College. Before that, she was Principal of Nelson and Colne College. She has been Vice Chair of the Association of Colleges, a founder member of the Women Managers’ Network and a Board member of the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority. Helen was a member of the Tomlinson working group on the review of 14 – 19 education.

John Field:
John Field is a Professor in the University of Stirling Institute of Education, and directs the Centre for Research in Lifelong Learning. His involvement in lifelong learning has included roles as a Tutor at Northern College and a Lecturer in Continuing Education at the University of Warwick which led to his appointment as Professor of Lifelong Learning. He is also involved in the Learning Lives project which examines the meaning and significance of formal and informal learning on the lives of adults.

Bob Fryer:
Professor Bob Fryer CBE is the Former Chief Learning Adviser at the Department of Health. Formerly the National Director for Widening Participation in Learning at the Department, Bob was the founding Chief Executive of NHSU. Before joining the NHS Bob was Assistant Vice Chancellor at the University of Southampton and Director of New College. He was also the Principal of Northern College for 15 years. Between 1997 and 1999 Bob chaired the National Advisory Group for Continuing Education and Lifelong Learning which advised the Secretary of State for Education and produced two reports "Learning for the Twenty-first Century" and "Creating Learning Cultures".

Leisha Fullick:
Leisha Fullick is Pro Director (London) at the Institute of Education, University of London. She has over thirty years experience of working in urban education. A founding member of the Learning and Skills Council, she started her professional life as a community education worker. Other roles have included Inspector for Further and Higher Education, Director for Education for the London Borough of Lewisham and Chief Executive of Islington. She is also a former Vice President of NIACE.

Clare Hannah:
Clare Hannah is Head of Organisational Development at EWS Railway. Formally she was Director of Learning and Development for First UK Bus where she was heavily involved in adult life long learning at work working in partnership with Trade Unions and NIACE to encourage the development of adult literacy and numeracy.

Teresa Rees:
Teresa Rees is Pro Vice Chancellor for Staff and Students at the Cardiff School of Social Sciences. She has special links with the School of Architecture, the Cardiff Business School, City and Regional Planning, the Law School and Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies. Teresa is also a Member of Athena (Women and Science) Advisory Group and a member of the British Council, Wales Advisory Committee.

David Sherlock:
David Sherlock CBE is President of NIACE. He was Chief Inspector of Adult Learning in England from 2000 – 2007. He was formerly Chief Inspector of the Trading Standards Council from 1997 – 2000 and Senior Inspector with the Further Education Funding Council from 1993 –1997.

Nick Stuart:
Nick Stuart is Chair of the NIACE Board and a former Director-General at the DfES. Since retiring from the DfES in 2001, he has joined the Boards of QCA, Ufi/Learndirect and CAFCASS. He also serves as a Trustee of the Girls Day School Trust, a member of the Council of the University of London Institute of Education and as a Governor of a number of independent and maintained schools.

Tom Wilson:
Tom was appointed Head of the Organisation and Services Department at the TUC in July 2003. He was previously the head of NATFHE’s Universities Department for five years, having been Head of Research and then Assistant General Secretary at the Association of University Teachers. Tom was also the National Trade Union Liaison Officer for the Labour Party (1986 –1988).