Professor R.H. (Bob) Fryer CBE

Professor R.H. (Bob) Fryer CBE was Chief Learning Advisor to the Department of Health until 2008. He was previously National Director for Widening Participation in Learning at the Department, responsible for devising, leading & supporting the implementation of a strategy to open up access to learning & employment in the NHS.

He was the founding Chief Executive of NHSU, providing learning opportunities and support to 100,000 NHS staff in its first year. Bob was Assistant Vice Chancellor at the University of Southampton and Director of New College. He was Principal of the Northern College for Residential Adult Education for 15 years. Between 1999 and 2001 he was on secondment to Ufi Ltd as an Executive Director & Board member.

Bob was one of the Campaign for Learning’s founding Trustees, and before rejoining the Board in 2008 was a Patron of the Campaign. He sits on NIACE’s Policy Committee and on the Commission of Inquiry into Lifelong Learning. He is currently a Director of Investors in People UK, a Non-Executive Director of Melorio plc, and Chair of the Learning and Skills Council’s Distributed and Electronic Learning Group. Bob was a founder member of the national Learning & Skills Council and Chair of the Defence Education and Skills Advisory Board. He chaired the Government’s National Advisory Group for Continuing Education and Lifelong Learning and was a member of the Moser Committee on Adult Basic Skills and the Policy Action Team on Skills for Neighbourhood Renewal. He is a former Chair of the Board of Careers England.

Bob was awarded a CBE for services to Community Education in the 1999 New Years Honours.