James Fraser

Who is James Fraser?

James Mackenzie Fraser CBE was the first principal and vice-chancellor of the University of the Highlands and Islands, in the north of Scotland. He held senior management roles in Scottish universities for over 23 years.

Brought up in Inverinate, near Kyle of Lochalsh, he was educated at Plockton High School in Ross-shire under the reign of Sorley Maclean, the famous Gaelic poet. A class medallist in moral philosophy and metaphysics, James gained MA honours summa cum laude in mental philosophy from the University of Edinburgh in 1971. During his working life, he also completed a Master's degree in education and a further education teaching qualification.

Fraser began his career as a lecturer in English and liberal studies at the former Inverness Technical College, now Inverness College UHI. During this time, he was an active member of the Educational Institute of Scotland and was elected to the newly formed Highland Regional Council Education Committee as one of three teacher members representing Further Education staff.

He took up an administrative post in the Academic Registry of the University of Stirling in 1977 and gained promotion to assistant registrar three years later.