The Department for the Economy has launched a competition to recruit four new Chairs for the governing bodies of Northern Regional College, South Eastern Regional College, Southern Regional College and South West College. The positions pay £20,000 per year plus expenses, with appointments expected in early 2027.
What the roles involve
The four colleges are non-departmental public bodies established under the Further Education (Northern Ireland) Order 1997. Their governing bodies oversee strategic direction, financial management and the delivery of education and training to meet local employer needs.
According to the Department, a Chair is expected to commit approximately one day per week to college business. This includes:
- Attending seven to nine full governing body meetings annually, typically held in the evening
- Regular interaction with the Department for the Economy
- Representing the college at other meetings and public events
- Potential involvement in sub-committees
The initial term is four years, with appointments anticipated in late January or early February 2027.
Who can apply
The Department is casting the net widely. No specific academic qualifications are required, and knowledge of the further education sector is not essential. However, applicants must demonstrate they are, or have previously been, engaged or employed in business, industry or any profession.
The four essential criteria candidates must meet are:
- Leadership
- Corporate Governance, Accountability and Risk Management
- Problem Solving
- Collaboration
The Department explicitly encourages applications from women, people with disabilities and those from minority ethnic groups, noting these groups are currently under-represented. The Guaranteed Interview Scheme operates for applicants with disabilities, meaning those who meet the essential criteria are guaranteed an interview.
What’s missing from the announcement
The press release presents this as a straightforward recruitment exercise, but several questions remain unanswered.
Why these four colleges, and why now? The Department has not stated whether these vacancies follow routine term expirations or other circumstances, though recent reappointments to other colleges suggest a pattern of turnover. In July 2026, the Department reappointed members to North West Regional College and South West College, while interim appointments were made to Northern Regional College in April 2026.
What about the other two colleges? Belfast Metropolitan College and North West Regional College are not included in this recruitment round. The absence of Belfast Metropolitan College from this competition is unexplained and worth monitoring.
No mention of sector challenges. The further education sector in Northern Ireland has undergone significant change. The 2026 amendment to the Further Education (Northern Ireland) Order 1997 shifted the financial year end from July to March, creating an eight-month transitional period for 2025/26. Enrolments have risen 20% since 2020/21, but the “regulated” share of enrolments—those meeting specific quality and funding criteria—has fallen from 90% to 79%. New Chairs will inherit these complexities, yet the press release emphasises the opportunity while providing limited detail on the strategic context ahead.
Context: FE governance in Northern Ireland
The six regional colleges were created through the merger of 16 smaller institutions in 2007, a restructuring that required entirely new governing bodies. Research on further education governance has noted that Northern Ireland’s model differs from other UK jurisdictions: college Chairs here receive remuneration, whereas in England and Wales such roles are typically unpaid. This reflects the statutory status of Northern Ireland’s colleges as executive non-departmental public bodies and may affect the diversity of applicants.
The Department’s own statistics show the sector’s growing importance. FE college enrolments reached 116,860 in 2024/25, up from 97,530 in 2020/21. Three-quarters of regulated enrolments are part-time, and the student population is increasingly polarised between younger learners (19 and under) and older returners (25 and over).
How to apply
The competition closes at 12:00 noon on Thursday 8 October 2026. Application packs are available from the Department for the Economy Public Appointments Unit by emailing pau@economy-ni.gov.uk or telephoning 028 9052 9212 (Textrelay: 18001 028 9052 9212).
Further information is available on the Department’s competition page.
Questions for consideration
- What is the current diversity composition of FE college governing bodies, and how will the Department measure progress toward better representation?
- How will new Chairs address the declining proportion of regulated enrolments while maintaining quality and accessibility?
- What specific challenges led to the interim appointments at Northern Regional College in April 2026, and how might these affect the incoming permanent Chair?
- Why is Belfast Metropolitan College not seeking a new Chair at this time, given the simultaneous recruitment at the other four colleges?
- How will the Department ensure that candidates without existing FE sector knowledge can quickly acquire the strategic understanding needed to oversee complex educational institutions?