Ian G Macfarlane
1950-2024
Class of 1968

Ian joined HSOG in Form 1. He was best known for becoming the Pipe Major in the School’s Combined Cadet Force (CCF). While at school, he won a bagpipe competition at a Royal National Mòd.  Although Ian did not necessarily shine academically, he did enough to enter a BSc course at Glasgow University in 1968 and subsequently studied a Master’s in Biochemistry. He then obtained a PGCE at Jordanhill College, after which he returned to Glasgow University where he undertook research that led to his being awarded a PhD in 1976.  

Ian’s mother and her family were from Skye and lived the crofter’s life. Ian spent many school and university holidays there working the land of his parents’ croft. One might have expected that, having achieved academic distinction by his mid-20s, Ian would have become an academic in the UK. However, he wanted to dedicate his life to helping those less fortunate than himself. He therefore became a Lecturer at the University of Botswana in 1977. Such was his dedication that a few years later, he was elected Dean of the Faculty of Science by his university colleagues. He greatly expanded this Faculty and its outreach.  

From roughly 1950 until the early 1990s, many former colonies of the British and other European Empires gained independence. In many cases, the former power agreed to assist the new nation with building infrastructure, by offering technical cooperation programmes and mounting projects to develop the educational system. Not infrequently, this resulted in expatriate managers of these projects having extraordinary experiences and insights into the development of ‘their’ country. In Ian’s case, he became a social friend of the first President of Botswana, Sir Seretse Khama and his wife, Lady Khama.  

Ian also said, wickedly, that it was in Botswana that he started “taking drugs”. However,this was not what it seems! He took suspected narcotics from the local police and conducted forensic tests on them – a service he offered the police free of charge. This served to enhance Ian’s reputation.  

He remained in Botswana until 1987 and then returned to Europe where he became a Project Supervisor at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VUA). He remained with the university until he retired in 2014. Other posts he held included being Area Manager of Africa for the Development Cooperation Projects and Director of the European Union-funded INSTANT, a seven-year (1991-1997) programme run jointly with the Ministry of Education and Culture of Namibia, dedicated to designing, implementing and improving the teaching of Maths and Science in schools. Ian jumped at the chance of becoming the in-country Team Leader of this project in Namibia as he had been very successful at attracting EU funding for such projects in Southern Africa. He declared that this was the happiest period in his later career. 

The VUA had been particularly successful at attracting funding for countries in Southern Africa. So, Ian jumped at the chance of becoming the in-country Team Leader.  

Ian also worked as the Head of the Education and Development Unit at the VUA, which was focused on identifying projects (worldwide in developing nations) and conducting international assignments funded mainly by the Dutch and Belgian governments. Additionally, he was appointed Senior Education Specialist and Consultant at the Centre for International Cooperation, at the VUA.  

Whilst in these posts, Ian travelled extensively throughout Africa (especially in Eastern and Southern Africa) to visit and monitor projects. His trips included visits to highly dangerous countries, including Eritrea, Somalia as well as a journey across the Red Sea to Yemen. He also made professional visits to South East Asia to countries such as Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.  

Ian visited Scotland fairly regularly, but his base was in Holland amongst his Dutch friends, many of whom he had first met in Africa. He never married; his job was the enduring partner of his adult life. He is survived by his brother, sister, niece and three nephews. He passed away on 11^th June 2024 and was buried beside his mother and father on the Isle of Skye.  

Tribute written by fellow Class of 1968 former pupil, Roddy Kay.