Scottish Education Secretary Mike Russell yesterday urged universities and colleges to recruit more women to senior positions.

And UCU, the biggest union representing Scottish university lecturers, has called for new and stronger rules on governance to create “better gender balance and more democracy on governing bodies.”

SNP minister Mr Russell urged action by the Scottish Funding Council (SFC), which funds colleges and universities, to “address the under-representation of women on the governing bodies of colleges and universities” and at “higher levels” among staff.