Capital funding and projects
SFC’s annual capital funding to colleges exceeds £90 million and the current capital programme has a total capital value of approximately £750 million. Capital funding to universities each year from SFC is approximately £100 million towards implementation of their estate strategies. Universities also have an estimated capital investment backlog of £1.5 billion.
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Capital funding |
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Building Ambition
A high quality, fit for purpose and sustainable infrastructure is essential if Scotland's colleges are to deliver a broad, modern curriculum relevant to the ambitions of Scotland's people and the needs and priorities of its economy and public services. Our college buildings are increasingly being asked to do more, and do it much more efficiently and effectively than before.
SFC's Building Ambition report describes how public investment in the college sector estate has supported the development of more effective learning spaces, and also highlights the significant contribution this investment has made in driving forward national priorities, and helping Scotland achieve sustained economic growth.
The report's combination of sector wide performance indicators and individual project case studies will give you a rounded understanding of the contribution made by our college's in supporting the delivery of national priorities, strengthening our economy, and improving our public services.
Building Ambition is available to view in an interactive or standard pdf.
Capital funding
College Capital Investment Projects - over the last six years SFC has funded several new build, refurbishment and relocation capital projects to support Scotland's colleges to develop their buildings and equipment for teaching, learning and research.
- Indicative main grants to universities for academic year 2012-13
- College capital projects
- Capital expenditure plan and estates strategy update proforma
- Indicative main grants to universities for academic year 2012-13
- Indicative college sector financial decisions for academic year 2012-13
- Horizon Fund for Universities and strategic funds for colleges allocations for AY 2011-12
- Main grants to colleges and universities for academic year 2011-12
- SFC/35/2010 - Indicative main grants to colleges and universities for academic year 2011-12
Sustainable capital
In 2006 the four UK HE funding bodies commissioned JM Consulting to conduct a full update to their 2001 report assessing the likely future capital funding needs of the UK's higher education sector.
2006 report - Future needs for capital grant funding in higher education - July 2006 [PDF]
2008 update report - Capital investment requirements of Scottish Universities - Feb 2009 [PDF]
Disposal and acquisition
The Management Statement between the Scottish Government and SFC highlights the
obligation on the SFC to ensure it recovers an appropriate proportion of the value of an
exchequer-funded asset, when it is disposed of by a college or university.
In practice, we will always seek to act reasonably, and will take into account a college
or university's:
- estates strategy;
- sources of funds available;
- affordability; and
- financial security.
Where there is clear evidence of need, then the proportion we actually recover may be very small or nil.
Disposal procedure notes
- Procedure notes for the disposal of exchequer funded assets and the retention of proceeds [PDF] (applies to higher education institutions only).
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Procedure notes for the disposal of exchequer-funded assets: FE/48/2000 available on the SFC Archive (applies to colleges only).
Learning Landscapes in Higher Education
The SFC together with HEFCE and HEFCW have jointly funded the 'Learning Landscapes in Higher Education' research project which looked at the ways in which academics work with colleagues in estates, and other key stakeholders, to develop and manage innovation in the design of teaching and learning spaces in Higher Education. The project explored new pathways and strategies which universities are using to link academic expertise to the process of quality and cost effective estate development in redesigning the university for the twenty first century.
The project looked at exemplary teaching and learning spaces in a number of universities across the UK - including Edinburgh Napier and the University of Glasgow from Scotland - with a focus on the practices that stimulate and support innovation and experimentation. The project has designed a set of development tools by which these exemplary practices might be generalised and replicated across the higher education sector.
These tools, in-depth case studies, and the final report from the project team, can be accessed through the project website here: http://learninglandscapes.lincoln.ac.uk