Members of the Foundation Degree Design Group, which was announced by Education Secretary David Blunkett last month are: Paul Cohen, divisional manager, and Leigh Hackel, team leader, Higher Education Quality and Employability Division, Department for Education and Employment; Geoffrey Copland, vice-chancellor, University of Westminster; Michael Harloe, vice-chancellor, University of Salford; Dianne Willcocks, principal of the College of Ripon and York St John; David Robertson, head of policy development, Liverpool John Moores University; Bahram Bekhradnia, director of strategy, Higher Education Funding Council for England; Julie Swan, director of development, Quality Assurance Agency; Judith Compton, principal officer, framework development, Quality and Curriculum Authority; Andy Powell, chief executive of the National Training Organisation's National Council; Joe Eason, Corus Group manager, training and education development, Council for Industry and Higher Education; Chris Humphries, chairman of the National Skills Task Force; and Irene Scott, West Midlands Regional Office, National Health Service Executive.
Heather du Quesnay, executive director of education in Lambeth and interim chief executive of the borough, has been appointed director of the National College for School Leadership.
Gordon Beaumont, author of a report on vocational qualifications and former chair of a panel that advised the government on which bodies should be recognised as NTOs, has been appointed chairman of the CfA (Council for Administration), the NTO for administration. He succeeds Leif Mills this month.
Robert Upex, former head of law at Kingston University and an expert on employment law, has been appointed to the new foundation chair in law at the University of Surrey. Professor Upex will lead the expansion of law at the university.
Nick Kaye, former director of practical studies at the University of Warwick, has joined the University of Manchester as professor of drama.
Maggie Bowen, programme leader for special educational need courses and the MA in education at the North East Wales Institute of Higher Education, has been elected the first president of the Welsh Executive of the National Association for Special Educational Needs.