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CUC announces new Chief Executive Officer

23^rd September 2025

CUC announces new Chief Executive Officer

I am delighted to announce the appointment of James Dunphy as the new Chief Executive of the CUC.

James brings over 20 years of senior leadership experience across the UK Higher Education sector. He is widely recognised as a respected and strategic leader in policy, governance and institutional development, with a consistent focus on educational excellence.

James began his career as a student officer at the University of Aberdeen and has held senior roles across universities, national regulatory bodies and sector-wide organisations. His leadership portfolio includes:

• Director of Enhancement of Learning, Teaching and Access at Robert Gordon University, where he led transformative strategies to widen participation, introduce degree apprenticeships and enhance student success.
• Member of the executive team and Director at the Scottish Funding Council (SFC), overseeing a £2 billion annual investment across Scotland’s tertiary education system. During his time with SFC, James was responsible for complex outcome agreement negotiations with institutions and for investigations related to SFC’s powers. He also led work, as part of SFC’s national review of tertiary education, on student facing policy, quality enhancement and the alignment of the post-16 system to the skills needs of Scotland.
• Most recently, James was seconded to Advance HE as Interim Director of Educational Excellence, where as part of Advance HE’s senior leadership team he led people and function change to support the delivery of Advance HE’s 2030 strategy. In this role, he worked closely with governments, regulators and institutions across the UK, Ireland and Australia.

James has worked extensively with University Governing Bodies and Board Chairs throughout his career.  Previously a Board Member at Robert Gordon University (RGU), University Trustee of RGU Union and a Non-Executive Director at Scotland’s Centre for Work-Based Learning, James has significant experience in effective governance.  Whilst at SFC he worked directly with Chairs and Governing Bodies across Scotland, including in relation to reform of higher education.  In 2024 he was appointed by the University of Aberdeen as a co-opted member of Court’s Governance and Nominations Committee.

I am thrilled to welcome James to the CUC. He is deeply committed to enabling our members to use their considerable skills, experience and independent voice to influence the evolving HE landscape. At a time when HE governance is so high on the political agenda, his earliest priorities will be to deepen engagement with our members and build strong relationships of trust with key stakeholders across the nations of the UK.

In accepting the role, James said: “I am delighted to be taking on this role at a key time of challenge and change in higher education.  Chairs fulfil key roles in our sector and, as the collective voice of Chairs, CUC has much to bring to the table as we work – across institutions, regulators and with government – to maximise the impact, success and sustainability of higher education across the UK nations”

I am sure you will join me in welcoming James to the organisation.

Best wishes,

Nicola de Iongh, CUC Chair