We caught up with college board members from three different colleges to hear about how they have benefited from CDN’s governance resources…

Hazel Murphy, Ayrshire College, tells us about her experience of being on the Board of Management at Ayrshire College and how CDN resources and events have helped her become an effective board member…

‘I was delighted to be appointed to the Board of Management of Ayrshire College in August 2018, but also a little nervous as although I was responsible for student training in my day-to-day work as a Chartered Accountant, this was my first involvement with the college and I was conscious of being on a steep learning curve regarding the workings of the education sector.

I attended the in-house Board Induction Day run by our board secretary which proved very useful. I also enrolled on the CDN College Board Induction Training Day. Along with other ‘newbies’, I was provided with a comprehensive introduction to college governance. The training day included an overview of the legal duties and responsibilities of the Board of Management, as well as sessions by key stakeholders explaining, for example, how colleges are funded. It was interesting to hear from a representative of the National Union of Students and the key role that the Student Association plays in engaging students. Overall, it was a focused and enjoyable day with the result that I was now more confident on how to carry out my duties and be an effective board member.

I would also signpost Board members to the online training resources which can be found on the CDN website. Having been appointed Chair of the Audit Committee, I completed the online training module relating to the role and remit of that committee, which not only provided a good overview of the responsibilities but also supplemented and expanded my knowledge as it included links to relevant government and governance documents. The online session is well written, not too onerous and provides self-assessment activities as you progress through the programme. I’m pleased to say I passed the module!

I plan to continue my online education as a Board Member using the excellent resources provided by CDN – the saying ‘every day is a school day’ certainly rings true!’

Find out more about CDN’s upcoming virtual College Board Induction Training days here.

 

Runa McNamara, Member of the Board of Management, Glasgow Clyde College

‘I found the CDN College Board Induction Training to be excellent. I was very fortunate to have been able to attend the training early into my term of office. The training provided a valuable insight into the requirements of effective and ethical governance. There was a balanced mix of informative presentations, examples of good and bad practice and case studies with follow up discussions to identify the action required of competent boards.

I would highly recommend the induction training to all college board members. In addition, attending the CDN College Leadership and Governance Summit provided an opportunity to discuss current key issues with board members from other colleges. The last summit focused on the changing priorities and challenges to providing good leadership and governance during the Covid-19 pandemic.’

The next virtual Leadership and Governance Summit will take place this spring. Get all the latest info by signing up to our newsletter here.

 

Marianne Philp, Secretary to the Board, Fife College

The Governance Hub is an invaluable resource for board members and board Secretaries. It pulls together key documents and information essential for good governance, making information and guidance easy to locate.

The training materials available are easy to use and are beneficial to those that are new to a board role, or to the sector, and also serve as a useful reminder of key points to those who are more experienced.

CDN is constantly adding to this resource to ensure that it is relevant and up-to-date and that it meets the needs of colleges. I would recommend that all board members and board Secretaries use the materials and regularly check the site for updates.’

Read this blog to find out more about how CDN supports college boards

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