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Public Appointments > Research and Reports > Our Research > Good Practice Case Study - SQA (2023)

Scottish Qualifications Authority Appointment Round – Good Practice in Planning and Assessment (2023)

17 January 2025

 

This Good Practice Case Study relates to an appointment round seeking a new chair for the Scottish Qualifications Authority in 2023.  It showcases how a robust planning process involved fully considering the needs of the board during a significant period of change, in order to successfully identify the skills required for the new role. It also describes how stakeholder involvement during the assessment stage provided candidates with insights into the operational demands of the SQA chair once in post. 

Members of selection panels may wish to consider this case study in detail to understand how innovative approaches towards assessment can support candidates in their understanding of what the appointment entails.

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There is no one size fits all to producing diverse and effective boards, and the 2022 Code encourages new and innovative ways of running appointment rounds. It is important that approaches taken are tailored to the specific posts being advertised for, and where new ways of working have proven to be effective, good practice case studies can aid selection panels faced with similar circumstances – to use, learn, adapt and improve upon. The current ‘snapshot’ case study aims to review good practices coming out of the formal planning stage, and provide examples of what selection panels have done well within it. The case studies use appointment rounds concluded within the last 12 months and their associated end of round reporting material to inform their content.