Fellowship Award celebrates remarkable college sector contribution

October 7, 2022

Ken Milroy MBE was the recipient of a North East Scotland College Fellowship Award as the curtain fell on two days of graduation celebrations at the Music Hall in Aberdeen on Wednesday.

The honorary award is the highest honour bestowed by the College.

Mr Milroy, who retired from his role as Chair of the NESCol Regional Board earlier this year, has been an influential figure not only in the North East but nationally in the wider college sector.

He served a board member of Aberdeen College before being appointed to the Chair’s role at NESCol when the institution was created through merger with Banff and Buchan College in 2013. He also led Colleges Scotland from 2017 to 2022.

Mr Milroy was founding Chief Executive Officer of Aberdeen Foyer, a charity supporting young people by preventing and alleviating youth homelessness and unemployment, and continued in that role through to his retirement in 2018.

Neil Cowie, Principal and Chief Executive of NESCol, said: “Ken has been instrumental in NESCol’s success to date and in laying the foundations for all that we seek to achieve in the future.

“He has championed training and education in the many vital roles he has fulfilled and been a passionate advocate for the role the College plays in driving positive social and economic change.

“I had the privilege of working closely with Ken over a number of years and have seen at first-hand the way in which his energy and vast experience has helped shape the work of NESCol. The Fellowship Award is a fitting recognition of his many years of dedicated service.”

The new NESCol fellow was awarded an MBE in 2006 in recognition of his work to address the issues facing many young people in the North East.

Mr Milroy said: “To receive a Fellowship Award from the College that means so much to me and has been such a major part of my life for many years is a great honour. I’m humbled to have been honoured and very grateful to the fantastic board colleagues and staff I had the pleasure of serving  alongside at NESCol and Aberdeen College – as well as the students who provide the inspiration that drives all who work in the sector. I’m also incredibly appreciative of the support of my family, which has enabled me to fulfil the roles that I have.”

The Fellowship Award was presented during the last of four ceremonies held at the Music Hall this week, with graduates who completed their studies at the College’s Aberdeen City and Aberdeen Altens campuses taking centre stage. The Fraserburgh Campus graduation ceremony was held on 24 September.