ÖйúAƬ

David Miller, chairman of the Scottish Examination Board and the Scottish Vocational Education Council, has been appointed chairman of the new Scottish Qualifications Authority, which will take over the two bodies' work next April.

The move underpins the new "Higher Still" system, due to begin in 1998, which will unify academic and vocational courses and qualifications for post-16-year-olds.

The authority will also be the national accreditation body for Scottish Vocational Qualifications and will ensure that the SVQs offered by it and other awarding bodies are based on national standards and have mutual recognition with qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Michael Forsyth, Secretary of State for Scotland, said setting up the authoritywas a major development in education and training in Scotland. Mr Miller's unique position of having headed both existing bodies, and his experience in industry, made him an ideal choice as chairman.