Dr James Boyle

Lay Member of University Court

D.Arts

James taught for five years in adult education, counselled students in the emergent Open University and for four years lectured at the Caledonian University. He joined the BBC in 1975 as an adult education officer, working first on adult literacy, setting up the schemes and premises for the nationwide literacy campaign. He entered radio production with BBC Radio Scotland and was nominated for a Sony Award, then became Head of Education and wrote TV plays for children, along with innumerable radio scripts.

As Head of BBC Radio Scotland he achieved the title of UK Radio Station of the Year for the network - the premier Sony Gold Award. He also helped write the BBC editorial guidelines before taking on the job of reforming Radio 4, a network which was at that time in debt and losing listeners.  As Controller Radio 4 he took the station to an unprecedented six gold Sony Awards in one year, the greatest number ever won by a radio network.

In 2004, James conceived and gained for Edinburgh the UNESCO designation of first global City of Literature.  He then brought together the group that made Glasgow UNESCO City of Music.

James has been a UK Civil Service Commissioner and Chair of both the Scottish Arts Council and of the Scottish Executive's Cultural Commission, as well as non-executive director of several commercial firms.  He is at present chair of the Scottish Advisory Committee of the British Council and a Trustee of the British Council itself.

He is married with three sons and three grandsons.