Amy joined QAA in January 2020 as a Quality Enhancement Specialist, following previous roles in Academic Quality and Governance at the University of Stirling and University of Stirling Students’ Union. Since joining QAA, Amy has led significant enhancement initiatives, including the Enhancement Theme, ‘Resilient Learning Communities’, contributed to the design and introduction of Scotland’s Tertiary Enhancement Programme, and supported the delivery of QESR. As the Interim Head of Scotland, Amy is responsible for the strategic direction and operational management of QAA’s activity in Scotland, including TQER, STEP and our broader work to support the delivery of the TQEF.

A graduate of the University of St Andrews, Demelza was originally a medievalist by academic training before moving into governance and academic quality and standards. She has worked across a range of higher education providers and was a reviewer for QAA before coming to work for the organisation in a flexible role in January 2020. She has also acted as an external expert in review methods in other countries.

Demelza joined QAA Scotland in February 2022, initially to work on the development of quality arrangements as the sector transitioned to a tertiary approach. She is involved in all aspects of review work, including institutional liaison.

As well as being a member of the Association of Higher Education Professionals, Demelza is actively involved with the UK-wide sector groups Quality Strategy Network and the Standards, Assessment and Classification Working Group. 

Heather has a PhD in Philosophy from the University of Leeds. Her career has taken her through teaching, pedagogic research, and then to quality assurance and enhancement. Before joining QAA she was Head of Academic Standards and Enhancement at the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI)

Since joining QAA in May 2024, Heather has worked on implementing the TQEF in Scotland, helping to develop and deliver the first year of STEP and managing the first college review as part of TQER. She is involved in all aspects of review work, including institutional liaison.

Following graduation from Cardiff University, Holly worked in the Student Voice Team at Cardiff University Students’ Union and joined QAA’s Student Strategic Advisory Committee. At Cardiff University Students’ Union, her role focused on training and support for student representatives, from sabbatical officers to course representatives, including on matters relating to academic quality.

Holly joined the QAA Cymru and Northern Ireland teams in November 2019, where she worked on a wide portfolio of activity with universities and colleges across the two nations. Her work and interests included areas such a micro-credentials, academic integrity, degree apprenticeships, promoting Welsh Language, and external quality review method design and development. 

Holly joined the QAA Scotland team in January 2025 working predominantly as a Review Manager for the Tertiary Quality Enhancement Review Method.

Before starting at QAA Scotland in 2016, Pam worked at the University of Stirling for 15 years in a variety of Strategic Planning, Governance and Quality roles. During this time, she was a peer reviewer for QAA. She completed a degree and PhD in Plant Science at the University of St Andrews before starting a career in University Administration.

As a Quality Assurance Manager, Pam has extensive experience in Enhancement-Led Institutional Review and is involved in all areas of work related to the Tertiary Quality Enhancement Review, including institutional liaison. She enjoys the varied work of QAA Scotland especially gaining a deeper knowledge and understanding of quality assurance and enhancement processes across the Scottish Higher Education sector. 

Previously, Pam was also the Liaison Officer for Northern Ireland so brings a broader perspective from across the Celtic nations.

Kelly worked for several years in the third and public sector in Scotland and Australia. In 2007 she joined the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) undertaking several roles with responsibility for managing key aspects of the university’s quality assurance and enhancement framework. 

Kelly joined the QAA in 2025 where she is involved in institutional liaison and review. 

She is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Association and enjoys gaining a deeper knowledge of quality assurance and enhancement activity in the Scottish Education Sector. 

Helen has worked in the Scottish education sector for over 20 years with previous roles as a Quality Enhancement Officer in the college sector and Lead for Quality Assurance and Enhancement at the SCQF Partnership.  She is experienced in a range of quality assurance and enhancement activities, including review activity and has managed and worked on various projects across the tertiary sector.

Helen joined the QAA in 2025 as a Quality Assurance Specialist and will support a range of activities including institutional liaison and reviews.

Alison is a Quality Enhancement Manager in the Scotland team. She is QAA's strategic lead for Scotland's Tertiary Enhancement Programme (STEP) and also manages The Quality Forum (TQF).

Having joined QAA in 2015, Alison's work spanned three different Enhancement Themes (Student Transitions, Evidence for Enhancement and Resilient Learning Communities) before she became part of the team who developed STEP. She has also undertaken thematic analysis of review outcomes across three different review cycles (ELIR 3, ELIR 4 and QESR).

Alison completed a PhD in Music at the University of Glasgow in 2017, and an MEd in Learning and Teaching in the Arts at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in 2024. She has particular interests in creativity, collaboration, and anti-racist approaches to education. The thing she enjoys most about working for QAA is the opportunity to meet staff and students from all the tertiary institutions across Scotland, and to gain a deeper understanding of the needs of the sector as a whole.

Clare started working at The Robert Gordon University in 1995 for a central quality and governance department and was embedded in one of the Faculties as a quality officer. This role covered several responsibilities related to the academic and organisational regulations and Academic Quality Handbook. In her role, Clare worked closely with a range of staff and students across the Faculty and at senior level in the university.

Clare joined the QAA in 2017 as a Quality Enhancement Specialist. Working primarily on the Enhancement Themes, and most recently on Scotland’s Tertiary Enhancement Programme (STEP), Clare has a particular interest in evaluation activity and qualitative data analysis. In addition to enhancement work, Clare has also enjoyed supporting review team colleagues in thematic reporting work and review method evaluation.

Clare has been a fellow of the Association of Higher Education Professionals since 2023.

Helen returned to QAA in 2024 having previously worked for the Agency from 2009-2023, latterly as Operations Manager leading on degree awarding powers assessment activity as part of the work QAA undertook as the Designated Quality Body for the Office for Students. She is an experienced quality officer having worked across many different review methods including reviews of private providers, colleges and universities. Currently the Nations Operations Manager, Helen oversees the planning of review activity, performing a pivotal role in the planning and operations of quality assurance activity across the devolved nations team.

Laura is the Nations Operations Coordinator at QAA, where she plays a key role in supporting the setup, launch, and ongoing delivery of quality assurance services. Her work ensures a consistently high standard of service for providers, reviewers, and other stakeholders.

Since joining QAA in 2004, Laura has built extensive experience across a variety of review methods. She has also contributed to the Enhancement Themes and has been a valuable source of support for senior colleagues and the wider team.

Laura enjoys the variety her role offers and takes pride in contributing to a team dedicated to enhancing the student learning experience.

Kyrsten completed an undergraduate degree in Soil Science and a PhD in Agriculture at the University of Aberdeen. Kyrsten is seconded to the QAA Scotland team from her substantive post as Registrar at SRUC, where she has over 30 year’s experience as an academic. She has led on external review process within SRUC and recently co-led the project for SRUC’s achievement of Taught Degree Awarding Powers (TDAP).  Her focus on tertiary quality within SRUC and her role on a number of cross sector committees has led to her secondment at QAA as the Tertiary Quality Enhancement Framework Implementation Manager, working across assurance and enhancement activities.