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2019 was a busy and varied year at the Scottish Funding Council. Here, month by month, is a selection of articles that highlight the diversity of our work. Alongside the expected – innovation, widening access and skills development – are stories that reflect some of the more surprising things we do.

A year in the life of SFCJanuary – green energy: We began the year in which the Scottish Government would declare a climate emergency with a story about green energy. SFC-funded Interface matched Renewable Parts Ltd (RPL) with the University of Strathclyde. Their joint project focused on improving RPL’s ability to remanufacture components used in wind turbines – making the green energy industry even greener.

A year in the life of SFCFebruary – sport: In February SFC-funded Scottish Students Sports announced the finalists of the 2019 Queen’s Park Shield. In all its 92 years this student football tournament had never been won by a college team and for the first time ever a college team had reached the final. SFC-funded Scottish Student Sports organises the tournament and invited My SFC to the big game a few weeks later when Edinburgh College won an historic victory over the University of Edinburgh.

A year in the life of SFCMarch – food: March saw the opening of a £1.6 million, SFC-funded animal disease surveillance centre. The centre is part of Scotland’s Rural College and is capable of analysing more than a million samples a year using robotics alongside human expertise. Its work will help to protect the food we eat by diagnosing animal disease more quickly and more reliably than was previously possible.

A year in the life of SFCApril – Scotland’s digital future: EIT digital, a leading European organisation for digital innovation, arrived in Scotland thanks to a joint investment from SFC and Scottish Enterprise. Speaking at its launch at the University of Edinburgh’s Bayes Centre, Scottish innovation minister, Ivan McKee, said: “Regardless of the outcome of Brexit, Scotland will continue to be an outward-looking, open and welcoming country.

A year in the life of SFCMay – fair access to university: SFC’s Report on Widening Access showed a record increase in entries to university from Scotland’s most deprived areas. It also showed that twelve universities had exceeded their 2021 target to have at least 10% of full-time first degree entrants from the most deprived areas. Talking about the report, Education Minister, Richard Lochhead, said: “Overall, that means many more people in Scotland – no matter what their background or circumstance – are benefitting from higher education, giving them an equal chance of success”.

A year in the life of SFCJune – art: The long reach of SFC’s museums, galleries and collections grant extended to the Easter Ross village of Balintore this month. A grant to the University of St Andrews allowed experts to restore and display the work of John Paterson, a local fisherman and artist. His recently re-discovered paintings depict sea faring communities in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The restored paintings were shown for the first time as part of the 2019 Fisherfolk Festival.

A year in the life of SFCJuly – innovation: Interface, the organisation funded by SFC to help businesses collaborate with Scotland’s universities and colleges, passed a significant milestone this month when it announced it had awarded over £6 million worth of innovation vouchers. Karen Watt, Chief Executive of SFC said: ” Across key industry sectors like energy, food and drink and tourism collaborations brought about through these vouchers have created new products, provided new services and supported new jobs.”

A year in the life of SFCAugust – drama: The Scottish Funding Council played a supporting role in the 2019 Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The SFC-funded Scottish Drama Training Network (STDN) partnered up with the Grid Iron theatre company and the Pleasance Theatre to present The Brunch Club. Described by The Stage as “a play filled with heart, humour and energetic characters”, The Brunch Club won plaudits from the Scottish Theatre Awards on the Fringe which awarded it a prestigious Bright Spark Award.

A year in the life of SFCSeptember – research talent: In September SFC was one of the first organisations to sign a new pledge to support university research careers. Under the new concordat, research institutions in the UK will be expected to provide staff with opportunities to develop their careers and broaden their leadership skills. The concordat will also play a vital role in improving the security of employment for researchers by reducing the use of fixed, short term contracts and introducing flexible criteria for maternity and paternity benefits.

A year in the life of SFCOctober – Gaelic language: There was good news for students of Gaelic in October when the Scottish Funding Council announced £455,000 to establish a new Gaelic language immersion year. Based in the main University of Glasgow campus, the new immersion course will involve eight months of intensive language tuition. This will be followed by a three-week residential experience in South Uist, one of the strongest Gaelic-speaking communities in Scotland.

A year in the life of SFCNovember – future skills: Scotland’s largest college innovation project received £307,605 from SFC via the Scottish Government’s College Innovation Fund. FUTUREquipped brings together college lecturers from the construction; health and care; and information technology industries to work with businesses on future-proofing skills; training; and workforce development. Professor George Crooks OBE, Chief Executive of the Digital Health & Care Institute which co-led the project, said: “We need to build on this type of initiative, which recognises that the world of work does not stand still”.

A year in the life of SFCDecember – gender: We rounded off the year by announcing details of our 2020 National Gender Conference. The conference reflects a commitment made when we published our Gender Action Plan that we would hold an annual gender conference. The idea behind the conference is to share and celebrate good practice within the sector and promote the themes of SFC’s Gender Action Plan. The conference is just one example of how SFC will begin the next decade by working hard for equality and diversity.

Consultation is now open on the process for managing complaints and investigations relating to Research Excellence Framework 2021 Codes of Practice.

The online consultation form is now live at https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/YFG7DSM.

Responses are due by 6 March 2020.

The UK funding bodies are seeking the views of the sector on the appropriateness and clarity of the draft REF 2021 complaints and investigations (C&I) process, to ensure that a range of views from a variety of stakeholders are considered in finalising the process.

The purpose of the C&I process is to provide assurance to the UK funding bodies that codes of practice are applied as set out by institutions participating in REF 2021. This assurance helps meet the obligations of the UK funding bodies concerning equality, diversity and inclusion.

Each institution making a submission to REF 2021 is required to develop, document and apply a code of practice on the fair and transparent processes used for making key decisions in their submissions to the exercise.

In the REF 2021 publication ‘Guidance on codes of practice’ (REF 2019/03), the UK funding bodies committed to putting in place measures to enable individuals to make a formal complaint where it is believed that the agreed processes set out within a code of practice are not being followed by an HEI.

For further information about REF 2021 see www.ref.ac.uk.

For further information about the REF COP see https://www.ref.ac.uk/publications/guidance-on-codes-of-practice-201903/.

The Scottish Funding Council (SFC) has responded formally to the findings of the Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) Inquiry on racial harassment in universities. In a letter to John Wilkes, Head of EHRC in Scotland, SFC acknowledged that the findings made difficult reading but welcomed the focus being given to the impact of racism on campus.

When the findings were first published SFC was quick to respond, recognising the seriousness of the issues the report raised. We were the first organisation to engage with the EHRC and jointly hosted a seminar bringing together representatives from the university sector and the Scottish Race Equality Network.

Feedback from this event has helped to shape SFC’s formal response to the Inquiry and we have now committed to:

At the heart of these actions is a commitment to work with partners to ensure that this work is properly informed and directed by staff and students who have lived experience of racism.

Commenting on SFC’s response to the EHRC Inquiry, Karen Watt, SFC Chief Executive said:

“Everyone should have the opportunity to work and learn without being exposed to racial harassment. The findings of the EHRC Inquiry were deeply disappointing and SFC is responding quickly and decisively to act on the recommendations.

We look forward to working with our partners to deliver on our commitments and make it absolutely clear that racial harassment has no place in Scotland or our institutions.”

Registration is now open for the Scottish Funding Council’s (SFC) annual national gender conference.

Date: Monday 27 January 2020
Venue: DoubleTree by Hilton, Glasgow Central
Cost: Free

This year’s conference is an opportunity to share and celebrate good practice within the sector, and provide practical actions that can be taken back to institutions to advance and promote the themes of SFC’s Gender Action Plan. We are pleased to confirm Professor Karen McCloskey, Director of the Queen’s Gender Initiative at Queen’s University Belfast as our keynote speaker.

In 2016, SFC published our Gender Action Plan. In it we committed to hold an annual conference to bring together representatives from the sector to reflect on progress and share plans for improvement. This event is targeted at practitioners, researchers, academics, senior managers, policy-makers working in or with Scotland’s colleges and universities, and students, as well as relevant organisations with an interest in this area.

Register for the conference. Registration closes on 20 January 2020.

A report on universities’ role in driving innovation in Scotland has been published today by Professor Sir Anton Muscatelli, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Glasgow.

Commissioned by the Scottish Government, the Muscatelli report looks at universities’ engagement with industry and their contribution to economic growth. It sets out 22 recommendations for driving innovation in Scotland.

Commenting on the report, SFC Chief Executive Karen Watt said:

“SFC welcomes this report as an important contribution to the national debate on how to best support Scotland’s economic prosperity.

We have seen many successful partnerships between industry and academia thanks to the quality of Scottish research and initiatives such as our Innovation Centres and organisations like Interface.

The recommendations in this report provide an opportunity to build on that success, and Scotland’s reputation as a nation of innovators. We look forward to considering the report with higher education institutions and our enterprise and skills sector partners.”

A record number of Scottish colleges and universities were amongst the finalists for the 2019 Green Gown Awards.

Six colleges and six universities represented Scotland’s further and higher education sectors at last night’s awards ceremony which took place at the Glasgow Science Centre.

Now in its fifteenth year, the Green Gown Awards bring together the most inspirational environmental projects from institutions across the UK and Ireland. At the end of the evening Scottish colleges and universities were winners in 6 of the 14 award categories.

As winners of the Student Engagement and the Benefitting Society awards, the University of Strathclyde and Ayrshire College will both go forward to compete in the International Green Gown Awards. In the Campus Health, Food and Drink category Dundee and Angus College and the University of Edinburgh shared the honours as best small and best large institution.

The University of Edinburgh added two further awards to its green trophy cabinet winning the award for Total Reporting and the large institution award in the Money for Good category. Finally, the prestigious Campus of the Future Award went to the University of the West of Scotland for its new Lanarkshire Campus. The campus is powered on 100% renewable energy from a nearby windfarm and features rainwater harvesting technology, making it one of the greenest campuses in the UK.

Iain Patton, CEO of the award organisers EAUC, said:

“The submissions this year were of an incredibly high calibre, tackling a huge array of development areas. It was a hard process to pick the winners, and it involved over 90 national and international judges.”

A planning application has been submitted for the development of the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS).

NMIS is a £65 million, industry-led international centre of manufacturing expertise led by the Scottish Government in partnership with its enterprise and skills agencies, the University of Strathclyde and Renfrewshire Council.

Operated by Strathclyde, as a national facility for Scotland, it is where research, industry and the public sector work together to transform skills, productivity and innovation to attract investment and make Scotland a global leader in advanced manufacturing.

It provides a focal point for applied manufacturing research, innovation and skills expertise from all over Scotland, thereby strengthening Scotland’s reputation for R&D and attracting inward investment.

The services and support that NMIS will provide will be shaped by industry. Through elements such as a Skills Academy, Digital Factory 2050, and an ‘Innovation Collaboratory’, NMIS will provide a focal point to connect business with manufacturing research, innovation and skills expertise from colleges and universities all over Scotland.

NMIS is led by the Scottish Government in partnership with Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Skills Development Scotland, the Scottish Funding Council, the University of Strathclyde, and Renfrewshire Council.

More than £65 million is being invested in the centre, including £8 million by Strathclyde, which is the facility’s anchor university, and £48 million by the Scottish Government.

SFC has provided £400,000 this year (from a total of £1.5M), over three years to support an NMIS PhD Programme and a CPD programme. The funding to support this comes from the Scottish Government and will deliver 30 industry doctorate projects designed specifically around industry needs, and provides a pathway for Scottish universities to collaborate on skills provision and the delivery of solutions to industry challenges and opportunities in advanced and digital manufacturing.

 

SFC has renewed its memorandum of understanding with NHS Education for Scotland (NES), following a meeting of both organisations this week.

SFC Chief Executive Karen Watt, NES Chair David Garbutt, NES Director of Medicine Prof Stewart Irvine, SFC Chair Mike Cantlay
SFC Chief Executive Karen Watt, NES Chair David Garbutt, NES Director
of Medicine Prof Stewart Irvine, SFC Chair Mike Cantlay

The NES and SFC chairs first agreed to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the two organisations and to develop a joint action plan in 2008. This was renewed in 2016, and now for a further three years.

The focus of the joint action plan is to advise and support Scottish Government in progressing key policy areas such access and participation to health and social care professions. It is also intended to support the health and education sectors in addressing changes to the NHS workforce across all professional and occupational groups.

In related news, the Digital Health & Care Institute (DHI) hosted a reception to award the winners of Andy Murray’s 2019 #DigiInventorsChallenge and promote the launch of the 2019 Digital Health & Care Fest Conference.

The launch was attended by Ivan McKee, Minister of Trade, Investment and Innovation to present the winners – a team of four girls from Marr College – with their award for ‘Shake It Up’, an app that allows users to pre-order school lunches on their mobile phone.

Aimed at encouraging other pupils to make healthier choices, the app is designed to link with the school’s ordering system, enabling users to earn school house points and is also linked to pupils’ Young Scot Cards so they can earn points and prizes for selecting healthy meals at lunchtime.

The Scottish Aquaculture Innovation Centre (SAIC) has received a £10 million, five-year funding package to support the sustainable growth of the sector and re-affirm Scotland’s position as a global leader in innovation and seafood production.

The investment, provided by the Scottish Funding Council, Scottish Enterprise, and Highlands and Islands Enterprise, is expected to be supplemented by an additional £3.5 million secured from third parties, ranging from competitive grants to income generated through services.

During its first five-year phase, SAIC turned its initial project funding package of £6.75 million into a portfolio valued at £42.6 million, spread across 47 initiatives. Of the total figure invested, £33.8 million came from industry and other partners – leading to the creation of more than 200 jobs, largely in rural areas. SAIC also supported the development of the aquaculture talent pool by funding the studies of 92 MSc and PhD students.

SAIC played a key role in the development of the Aquaculture Growth to 2030 strategy, the industry’s plan to sustainably double the sector’s economic contribution from £1.8 billion in 2016 to £3.6 billion by 2030. The innovation centre has also brokered relationships between the industry and its stakeholders, particularly through the establishment of the Aquaculture Industry Leadership Group (AILG).

Richard Lochhead, Minister for Further Education, Higher Education and Science, said:

“Scotland’s Innovation Centres have the potential to have a transformational effect on our economy.

“The Government is working hard to ensure the aquaculture industry continues to thrive, and today’s announcement means the Scottish Aquaculture Innovation Centre will remain a catalyst for growth in a key national industry which enjoys international success, securing future jobs and sustainable economic growth.”

 

David Gregory, Chairman of SAIC, said:

“SAIC was built to do things differently. We have sought to act as a fulcrum for industry, the public sector, and academia, bringing together everyone with an interest in aquaculture for the good of the Scottish economy. We have also helped the industry deal with some of its biggest challenges – which individual businesses, or even groups of companies, wouldn’t have been able to tackle on their own – through access to academic expertise and applied research.”

 

In its Phase 2 strategy for the next five years, SAIC said it plans to:

  1. Drive innovation by leveraging new sources of funding and bringing together multiple partners from across the UK.
  2. Develop aquaculture skills and talent across Scotland through a focussed programme.
  3. Share innovation throughout the industry by organising workshops, conferences, and disseminating information in new ways over the next five years.

David added:

“Over the next five years, we will build on Scottish aquaculture’s existing foundations to establish a low-carbon, hi-tech, data-rich, and cutting-edge sector that is led by pioneering research aligned with genuine industry need.”

 

Photo caption: College lecturers from the FUTUREquipped project.

College lecturers from across Scotland have come together to produce a set of innovative new learning materials that combine speciality knowledge and insight on smart housing from three different sectors.

The new learning materials are a product of FUTUREquipped, Scotland’s largest college innovation project to-date.

Co-led by the Digital Health & Care Institute (DHI) and Construction Scotland Innovation Centre (CSIC), the FUTUREquipped project brought college lecturers from the construction, health and care, and information technology fields together to work with business on future-proofing skills, training and workforce development.

This included the development of 16 new ‘micro-lessons’ on smart housing, which uses automation and sensor networks to control everything from light switches to heating. The lessons are aimed at developing learners’ understanding of how the three sectors overlap in smart housing, and topics include energy efficient construction, dignity and privacy implications for the use of digital healthcare tools in the home, and ‘meta-skills’ like creativity.

The collection, graded at SCQF Level 6, is hosted by the University of Strathclyde’s Open Access repository Strathprints under a Creative Commons licence meaning it can be accessed from anywhere and downloaded by anyone.

FUTUREquipped received £307,605 from SFC via the Scottish Government’s College Innovation Fund. The project involved over 500 students and 30 college lecturers from 13 colleges. In addition to DHI and CSIC, a further two innovation centres were involved – The Data Lab and Centre for Sensor and Imaging Systems (CENSIS) – alongside a pool of industry and education stakeholders who provided input and support.

Karen Watt, Chief Executive of the Scottish Funding Council (SFC), said:

“Colleges are playing an essential part in realising Scotland’s ambition to turn innovation into jobs and prosperity for the future. FUTUREquipped is a fantastic example of this in action, with colleges connecting with business and innovation centres to develop practical resources and education programmes to enhance Scotland’s future skills needs and workforce.”

Professor George Crooks OBE, Chief Executive of the Digital Health & Care Institute said:

“This has been a ground-breaking and collaborative project, bringing the knowledge and expertise from Scotland’s Innovation Centres to further enable and empower the College sector across Scotland to deliver an enthusiastic and enable workforce for the future. We need to build on this type of initiative, which recognises that the world of work does not stand still and our education and training provision in Scotland needs to move at the same pace.”

Stephen Good, Chief Executive of the Construction Scotland Innovation Centre said:

“The future of learning is changing. Through innovative cross disciplinary approaches we can help prepare young people for careers in the construction sector that don’t even exist yet. FUTUREquipped was a revolutionary pilot programme which provided a legacy of innovative design thinking that allows Scotland’s colleges to build more collaborative education programmes fit for the needs of the future”.

Council Board

The Minister for Further Education, Higher Education and Science, today announced the appointment of Andrew Kerr, Ewart Keep, Irene McAra-McWilliam, John Wallace, Lorna Jack, Peter Mathieson and Sheila Duncan as Members of the Scottish Funding Council.

Members

Andrew Kerr has considerable experience in high-performing organisations, chairing and being chaired by others, working to the Nolan principles and providing effective leadership and getting the best out of people, teams, committees and Boards. He has chaired several high-level Boards such as the Chairs and Chief Executives of the NHS, a variety of Scottish Cabinet sub committees, he is currently chairing the Board of Quality Scotland and South Lanarkshire College. He has extensive knowledge of business and commerce both as policy maker and as a practitioner and has worked in the public, private and third sectors. As chair of South Lanarkshire College, he has overseen a strategic plan which delivers a balanced budget and SLC is one of the highest performing colleges in Scotland. Andrew shares with many the mission of changing lifetime opportunities for students supporting economic growth, matching ambitions of students to the economy and positive destinations.

Ewart Keep holds a chair in Education, Training and Skills at the Department of Education, Oxford University. He has researched and written on the links between skills and economic performance; the interaction  between economic development, business support, innovation and education and training; the workplace as a learning environment; and adult and lifelong learning. He has advised the UK government departments, parliamentary committees at Holyrood and Westminster, the OCED and the governments of Australia and New Zealand.

Irene McAra-McWilliam has international experience of creative leadership having worked as Director of Design Research for multinational Philips Electronics. She is currently Director of The Glasgow School of Art and was responsible for establishing GSA’s Highlands and Islands Campus in Moray and the GSA’s new Innovation School. Irene was awarded an OBE in recognition of her work in Higher Education, Innovation and Design.

John Wallace has spent a lifetime in the Creative Industries, firstly as a performer/player/manager and latterly as an educator. Educated at Buckhaven High School and Kings College Cambridge, he spent 30 years in London’s classical music sector and contributed to 600 CDS (30 solo albums). He later performed as a soloist, most famously with Kiri Te Kanawa to a live TV audience of 750 million people, at the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer in 1981. John returned to Scotland in 2002 as Principal of the RSAMD, transforming this into the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, the first such interdisciplinary Dance/Drama/Music/Film/Technical and Production Arts institution in Europe. Leaving in 2014 he became Vice President Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences of the Royal Society of Edinburgh where he deepened his knowledge of the totality of Scotland’s thriving Further and Higher Education sectors. John now chairs the Music Education Partnership Group representing 60 organisations across the world-leading formal and informal music education sector of Scotland. John brings deep and broad knowledge of the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences in Scotland and internationally to the table.

Lorna Jack has been the Chief Executive of the Law Society of Scotland, the professional body of 12,000 Scottish Solicitors since January 2009, leading the organisation through a program of modernisation and reform. That transformation continues with a bolder, more ambitious strategy for 2015-2020. Since February 2019, Lorna has been Chair of the Highlands and Islands Airports Limited, a Scottish Government owned company which runs 11 airports including Inverness and Dundee, having served as a Non-Executive and Audit committee Chair for previous four years. She is a Trustee and Treasurer of McConnell International Foundation. She served as an independent member of the Court of Aberdeen University from November 2017 until October 2019. Lorna is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland, and a graduate of the University of Aberdeen.

Peter Mathieson was educated in Cornwall and graduated in medicine with First Class Honours from the University of London in 1983. He was awarded a PhD by the University of Cambridge in 1992 and became Director of Studies for Clinical Medicine at Christ’s College, Cambridge following this. In 1995 Peter moved to Bristol as the foundation Professor of Renal Medicine at the University of Bristol where he was later appointed Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry in 2008. In April 2014, Peter assumed office as the President and Vice-chancellor of the University of Hong Kong, a post he held until January 2018. Peter is currently the Principal of the University of Edinburgh.

Sheila Duncan has over 20 years business experience and during her career has held a number of senior HR positions in both Financial services and the Energy sector. She is currently the UK HR Director at Scottish Power, part of the Iberdrola group, she is a member of the Scottish Power Executive Team with responsibilities for Health and Safety, IT, Business Services as well as Human Resources. Previously, she completed international assignments in the USA as Chief H.R. Officer at Avangrid, the US subsidiary of Iberdrola. Throughout her career, Sheila has been strongly committed to education and lifelong learning, championing diversity, inclusion and accessibility for all irrespective of background. Sheila holds an
M.A. (Hons) from the University of Glasgow and is a Chartered Fellow of the Institute of Personnel and Development.

Appointment

The appointments will be for four years and will run from 4 November 2019 to 3 November 2023.

Scotland’s college and university students are to benefit from a £20 million investment in additional mental health counsellors.

The Scottish Government is funding the appointment of more than 80 new counsellors over the next four years to improve mental health and wellbeing for further and higher education students. The recruitment is part of a package of measures totalling £250 million to support better mental health services across Scotland.

Institutions will receive more than £3.6 million this academic year. An additional £100,000 has been allocated to the Scottish Funding Council to support implementation in the first two years of the programme.

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said:

“Supporting the health and wellbeing of students is essential if they are to achieve their full potential.

“Our significant investment – in more than 80 additional mental health counsellors over the next four years – will strengthen the support available in every college and university in Scotland.

“This is part of our wider investment in the services supporting young people’s mental health, including the development of new community wellbeing services and a 24/7 crisis support service.

“I want every student to be able to access the mental health support they need, regardless of whether they are at college or university, and we will work closely with the sectors to achieve this.”

Chief Executive of the Scottish Funding Council Karen Watt said:

“Positive mental health is fundamental to students’ ability to progress and make the most of their education experience.

“This is what makes today’s announcement so important for colleges, universities and for students. The Scottish Funding Council is committed to making this investment work for all those who need access to counselling services.”

NUS Scotland President Liam McCabe said:

“Better mental health services for students has long been a campaign priority for NUS Scotland. We’re delighted that the Scottish Government has committed to invest in more counsellors for Scotland’s colleges and universities – and that students will begin benefitting this year.

“NUS Scotland is committed to ensuring every student, no matter where they study, has access to the best mental health support and we look forward to working with the Scottish Government to deliver just that in the years ahead.”

Full details of the funding allocation can be found in the official announcement.

Photo caption: Gillebride MacMillan, Head of Celtic & Gaelic, Dr. Sìm Innes, Lecturer Celtic & Gaelic and Fiona Dunn, Gaelic Development Manager, // Gillebrìde Mac ’IlleMhaoil, Ceannard Ceiltis is Gàidhlig; Dr Sìm Innes, Òraidiche Ceiltis is Gàidhlig agus Fiona Dunn, Manaidsear Leasachaidh Gàidhlig.

 

The University of Glasgow has been awarded £455,000 to establish a new Gaelic language immersion year to provide an intensive language learning experience for students and adult learners, it was announced today (29 October 2019).

The new language immersion year, funded by the Scottish Funding Council, will be piloted over three years from September 2020.

Based in the main University of Glasgow campus, the immersion course will involve eight months of intensive language tuition. This will be followed by a three-week residential experience in South Uist, one of the strongest Gaelic-speaking communities in Scotland, facilitated by Ceòlas Uibhist.

The University of Glasgow has been at the forefront of Gaelic development in the Higher Education setting for the last 10 years. The introduction of an immersion year adds to the portfolio of unique opportunities that exist at the University to support and promote the use, learning and visibility of Gaelic.

Fiona Dunn, the University of Glasgow’s Gaelic Development Manager and Principal Investigator for the project, said:

“The development of this immersion year is a direct response to how the student community has changed in recent years with more learners entering Gaelic programmes.

“We are delighted to receive this award from the SFC as it will support more students in achieving fluency in the language and help to realise one of the primary commitments in our current Gaelic Language Plan.”

The immersion year will be available to undergraduate students on Gaelic programmes at the University prior to entering honours level studies. It will offer the choice to study either a four-year or a five-year degree depending upon the language abilities of individual students.

In addition, the immersion year will be available as a standalone Certificate of Higher Education (CertHE) qualification on either a full-time or a part-time basis over two years.

Ms Dunn added:

 “As Gaelic-medium education continues to expand across the central belt, the ability to offer this year as a CertHE is particularly important with more parents and adult learners in need of intensive learning opportunities.”

In addition to Ceòlas in South Uist, the University will work closely with partners in the city, including the Gaelic Books Council, to deliver aspects of the course and a new lecturer will be recruited in January 2020 to deliver the course as part of the Celtic & Gaelic team based at the College of Arts.

The University’s College of Arts commissioned a feasibility study in 2017 to consider an immersion experience in Glasgow and this revealed a demand for more intensive language opportunities amongst students and adult learners.

Gillebrìde MacMillan, Head of Celtic & Gaelic and Project Co-Investigator, said:

“This is a hugely exciting development for the subject area that will ensure parity for Gaelic students with those studying on modern language programmes.

“We are particularly pleased to be working closely with a traditional Gaelic-speaking community to deliver aspects of this course and going forward, we also anticipate unique opportunities to support students wishing to pursue careers in Gaelic teaching who may have studied a range of other subjects.”

The proposal for this course is an alternative approach to immersion from previous national Gaelic summer schools and has been developed over a number of years by a dedicated development team including, Fiona Dunn and Gillebrìde MacMillan as well as, Dr. Sìm Innes, the Learning and Teaching Convener for Celtic & Gaelic, and Project Co-Investigator.

Morag Campbell, SFC Assistant Director, Gaelic Policy said:

“Language immersion is vital for students’ fluency and confidence in a language, particularly at the levels required for professional careers.

“Demand for highly skilled and fluent Gaelic-speaking graduates has never been higher, and the University of Glasgow is well placed to expand opportunities for Gaelic immersion in Scotland. Glasgow is home to the largest concentration of Gaelic speakers outwith the Western Isles and has a growing number of new Gaelic speakers, as a result of the success and demand for Gaelic-medium education.

“We are delighted to fund this initiative in support of the National Gaelic Language Plan, and increasing the number of Gaelic speaking professionals in Scotland.”

—

Chaidh ainmeachadh an-diugh (29 Dàmhair 2019) gun deach £455,000 a bhuileachadh air Oilthigh Ghlaschu gus bliadhna bhogaidh ùr sa Ghàidhlig a stèidheachadh airson suidheachadh ionnsachaidh tro bhogadh sa chànan a sholarachadh do dh’oileanaich agus do dh’inbhich a tha ag ionnsachadh na Gàidhlig.

Thèid a’ bhliadhna bhogaidh cànain a fhuair maoineachadh bho Chomhairle Maoineachaidh na h-Alba, a chur air adhart mar phìleat thairis air tri bliadhna bhon t-Sultain 2020.

Stèidhichte air prìomh làrach Oilthigh Ghlaschu, bidh ochd mìosan de dh’oideachadh dian cànain anns a’ chùrsa bogaidh. Leanar seo le suidheachadh còmhnaidheach fad thrì seachdainean ann an Uibhist a Deas, aon de na coimhearsnachdan as làidire airson na Gàidhlig ann an Alba, air a dhèanamh comasach le Ceòlas Uibhist.

Tha Oilthigh Ghlaschu air a bhith aig fìor thoiseach leasachadh na Gàidhlig ann an suidheachadh Foghlam Àrd-Ìre thar nan 10 bliadhna a chaidh seachad. Tha a bhith a’ tòiseachadh air bliadhna bhogaidh a’ cur ris an àireamh de chothroman gun choimeas a tha rim faotainn san Oilthigh gus cleachadh, ionnsachadh agus faicsinneachd na Gàidhlig a chuideachadh agus adhartachadh.

Thuirt Fiona Dunn, Manaidsear Leasachaidh Gàidhlig an Oilthighe agus am Prìomh Sgrùdaire don phròiseact:

Tha leasachadh na bliadhna bhogaidh seo mar fhreagairt dhìreach air mar a tha coimhearsnachd nan oileanach air atharrachadh thar nam bliadhnaichean mu dheireadh, le barrachd luchd-ionnsachaidh a’ dèanamh phrògraman Gàidhlig.

“Tha sinn air leth toilichte am maoineachadh seo fhaighinn bhon SFC oir bheir e taic do bharrachd oileanaich faighinn gu fileantas sa chànan, agus cuidichidh e gus aon de na prìomh dhealasan sa Phlana Ghàidhlig againn a thoirt gu buil.”

Bidh a’ bhliadhna bhogaidh do dh’oileanaich fo-cheum a tha air prògraman Gàidhlig san Oilthigh mus inntrig iad ionnsachadh aig ìre urraim. Bidh a’ bhliadhna a’ tabhann na roghainn a thaobh ceum ceithir-bliadhna no còig-bliadhna a ghabhail os làimh a rèir comasan cànain nan oileanach fa leth.

A thuilleadh air an sin, bidh a’ bhliadhna bhogaidh ri faotainn mar Theisteanas Foghlaim Àrd-Ìre (CertHE) air leth, air bhunait làn-ùine no pàirt-ùine thairis air dà bhliadhna.

Thuirt a’ Bh-uas Dunn:

 “Mar a bhios foghlam tron Ghàidhlig a’ leantainn air a’ leudachadh tarsainn meadhan na h-Alba, tha an comas air a’ bhliadhna seo a thairgsinn mar CertHE gu h-àraid cudromach, le barrachd phàrantan agus luchd-ionnsachaidh inbheach agus feum aca air cothroman ionnsachaidh dian.”

A thuilleadh air Ceòlas ann an Uibhist a Deas, bidh an t-Oilthigh ag obair gu dlùth le com-pàirtichean sa bhaile a’ gabhail a-steach Comhairle nan Leabhraichean gus diofar earrannan den chùrsa a lìbhrigeadh agus bidh òraidiche ùr air fhastadh san Fhaoilleach 2020 airson an cùrsa a lìbhrigeadh mar phàirt den sgioba aig Ceiltis agus Gàidhlig, stèidhichte ann an Colaiste nan Ealain.

Rinn Colaiste nan Ealain san Oilthigh coimiseanadh air sgrùdadh iomchaidheachd ann an 2017 gus beachdachadh air suidheachadh bogaidh ann an Glaschu, a nochd iarrtas airson barrachd chothroman cànain dian am measg oileanaich agus luchd-ionnsachaidh inbheach.

Thuirt Gillebrìde Mac ’IlleMhaoil, Ceannard Ceiltis is Gàidhlig agus Co-Sgrùdaire a’ Phròiseict:

“ ’S e leasachadh fìor bhrosnachail a tha seo don roinn againn agus bidh e a’ ciallachadh gum bi co-ionannachd ann eadar oileanaich Ghàidhlig agus oileanaich a tha ag ionnsachadh air prògraman nan nuadh-chànanan.

“Tha sinn gu h-àraid toilichte a bhith ag obair gu dlùth le coimhearsnachd Ghàidhlig thraidiseanta gus taobhan den chùrsa seo a lìbhrigeadh, agus a’ dol air adhart tha sinn a’ sùileachadh chothroman gun choimeas gus taic a thoirt do dh’oileanaich a tha airson dreuchd a leantainn ann an teagasg Gàidhlig agus as dòcha a tha air raon de chuspairean eile a sgrùdadh.”

Tha am moladh a thaobh a’ chùrsa seo na mhodh-obrach eile air bogadh a thàinig bho sgoiltean samhraidh Gàidhlig nàiseanta roimhe seo, agus a chaidh a leasachadh thar grunn bhliadhnaichean le sgioba leasachaidh dhealasach sa bheil Fiona Dunn agus Gillebrìde MacIlleMhaoil a thuilleadh air an Dr Sìm Innes, Stiùiriche Ionnsachadh agus Teagasg ann an roinn Ceiltis is Gàidhlig, agus Co-sgrùdaire a’ Phròiseict.

Thuirt Mòrag Chaimbeul, Leas-Stiùiriche an SFC airson Poileasaidh Gàidhlig:

 “Tha bogadh cànain deatamach do dh’fhileantachd is misneachd oileanaich ann an cànan, gu h-àraid aig na h-ìrean a tha riatanach airson dhreuchdan proifeiseanta.

“Chan eil an t-iarrtas airson ceumnaichean àrd-sgileil agus fileanta ann an Gàidhlig a-riamh air a bhith cho àrd, agus tha Oilthigh Ghlaschu ann an suidheachadh math airson cothroman a leudachadh do bhogadh Gàidhlig ann an Alba. Tha Glaschu na dhachaigh don dùmhlachd sluaigh le Gàidhlig as motha taobh a-muigh nan Eileanan Siar le àireamh a tha a’ sìor fhàs de luchd-labhairt ùr le Gàidhlig, mar thoradh air soirbheachadh agus iarrtas airson foghlam tro mheadhan na Gàidhlig.

“Tha sinn air leth toilichte an iomairt seo a mhaoineachadh mar thaic do Phlana Nàiseanta na Gàidhlig, agus an àireamh de phroifeiseantaich le Gàidhlig a mheudachadh ann an Alba.”

Student satisfaction across the college sector remains high according to new figures from the Scottish Funding Council (SFC).

The latest College Student Satisfaction and Engagement Survey shows that 93% of full-time students studying on further education courses were satisfied with their college experience. That figure climbs to 95% for part-time students. For college students on higher education courses 87% of respondents said they were satisfied with the figure rising to 89% for part-time students.

Over 44,000 college students responded to the survey which is the fourth such survey to be carried out by SFC. Over time, the annual Student Satisfaction and Engagement Survey will provide a consistent basis for Scotland’s college regions to demonstrate the impact they have and the improvements they are making within their outcome agreements.

The full report is available from today.

The Scottish Funding Council (SFC) is asking colleges to come forward with ideas for tackling child poverty.

As part of its Child Poverty Delivery Plan, the Scottish Government is making available £400,000 for colleges to develop further education projects in their local area.

SFC’s call for proposals is looking for educational initiatives to help young people who have grown up in poverty progress into work, training or further study. Figures published earlier this week show that colleges are increasingly successful in enhancing people’s life chances.

Colleges are also being encouraged to look at ways of providing more support to young parents and helping them to build a better future for themselves and their children.

Speaking about the Child Poverty Delivery Plan, John Swinney, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, said:

“All children and young people, whatever their background or circumstances, deserve the same chance to reach their full potential.

“Our investment to close the poverty-related attainment gap is aimed at helping children to do just this.

“If we can help deliver the skills, support and experiences children and young people need to fulfil their ambitions, we will together make Scotland the economic success we want it to be, with very low levels of child poverty.”

Proposals for funding are being sought by 6 January 2020.

Increasing numbers of students leaving the college sector are moving on to work, training or further study according to a new report from the Scottish Funding Council.

The latest figures, published today, show that almost nine in every ten people leaving the sector in 2017-18 went on to what are described as “positive destinations” – 0.8% up on the previous year.

The report also shows that unemployment and unavailability for work for college sector leavers decreased in the same period from 11.7% to 10.9%. Within this figure those with the most advanced qualifications were over three times less likely to be unemployed or unavailable for work than those with less advanced qualifications.

Karen Watt, Chief Executive of the Scottish Funding Council, said:

“Scotland’s colleges are making their courses relevant to employers and ensuring students have the skills they need to succeed in the workplace. Today’s figures show the vital role colleges play in shaping the future prospects of individual students but also in supporting the needs of the wider economy.”

Looking at students who remained at college for a further session, 86.8% progressed to a higher level of study on the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework, a 4.4% increase on the 2016-17 figures.

College Leaver Destinations 2017-18 is available online.

This week (7 – 13 October) is Scotland’s third annual Climate Week.

This year it follows First Minister Nicola Sturgeon’s recent declaration of a Climate Emergency, and a new Climate Change Bill passed by the Scottish Parliament, committing Scotland to become a net zero emissions economy by 2045.

So how are Scotland’s higher and further education sectors responding? Below are just some examples of the work underway.

Carbon footprint

Since 2015-16, Scottish colleges and universities have reduced their carbon footprints by 18% and 8.4% respectively. These efforts are being accelerated through the University Carbon Reduction Fund (UCRF) partnership between SFC and Salix Finance.

UCRF forms part of SFC’s Financial Transactions (FT) programme, which provides low interest loan funding for capital upgrades and projects, aimed at improving student experiences or carbon footprint reduction.

The Scottish Government has allocated £60M towards the 2019-20 FT programme. Previous projects include a district energy scheme at the University of Strathclyde that will save 4,500 tCO2e and £2.6m per year.

SFC also part funds the Environmental Association of Universities and Colleges (EAUC) Scotland, which supports universities and colleges take action on climate change and sustainability within estates management, learning and teaching, and engagement.

EAUC Scotland has collected case studies from across Scottish universities and colleges that align with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The case studies provide a snapshot of the some of the ways that Scotland’s Further and Higher Education sectors are contributing towards these goals.

Home and Away

Scottish research is also having an international impact on efforts towards a more sustainable world. Through the Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF), Scottish universities have led more than 400 projects, involving over 70 developing countries since 2016-17.

Aimed at progressing the UN Sustainable Development Goals, research undertaken through the GCRF includes development of an award-winning, low cost ophthalmology tool for health care workers in under-resourced countries (St Andrews), ongoing research into simple treatment systems to ensure safe drinking water for people and livestock (Robert Gordon University), and assessing the feasibility of ‘micro-grid’ solar power to provide electricity for remote off-grid communities in Rwanda.

This year  by the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), up from £2m in 2017-18.

The University of Strathclyde and its Students Union are the latest Scottish signatories to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Accord, an international collective of colleges and universities working towards the UN’s 17 SDGs. Aimed at ending poverty and other deprivations, the SDGs are also focused on improving health and education, reducing inequality and spurring economic growth, whilst also tackling climate change.

However, efforts are not just overseas. In 2015, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon told the Network of International Development Organisations in Scotland, “The national and international dimensions to poverty and inequality are interlinked. Scotland cannot act with credibility overseas, if we are blind to inequality here at home. And our ambitions for a fairer Scotland are undermined, without global action to tackle poverty, promote prosperity and to tackle climate change.”

One example of this work in practice is Glasgow Kelvin College’s active travel initiatives. Aimed at encouraging students and community members to cycle more, the initiative was recognised with a Green Gown Award for Student Engagement and the college also picked up an award at the Education Buildings Scotland exhibition conference for innovation in delivering a sustainable education facility for its Velocity Cycle Hub.

Constructed with sustainable materials, the hub provides a resource centre for cyclists – a one-stop shop for training, information, repair & maintenance and motivation for an active and healthy lifestyle. The build also provided many of its Construction, Plumbing and Carpentry students with hands-on experience as they were involved in the building and finishing of the structure.

In 2018, the University of Edinburgh was named ‘UK Sustainable Institution of the Year’ in the UK and Ireland Green Gown Awards, with a number of other institutions also picking up awards. This year 13 Scottish colleges and universities have been nominated as finalists.

Innovation

SFC funding towards a more sustainable world also extends to innovation, where companies like Renewable Parts Ltd are using innovation vouchers through Interface to expand their business and create jobs in the renewable energy industry.

The Scottish Government has committed to tackle climate change and assist Scotland’s transition to net-zero emissions, and students are also gearing up for a more sustainable future, with almost 13,000 studying courses related to renewable energy at Scotland’s universities and colleges, as the country upskills to tackle climate change.

Carbon Capture

A glimpse of that future can also be seen in north east Scotland. Traditionally known for oil and gas, efforts are underway to repurpose existing infrastructure to reduce rather than contribute to climate change.

SFC, Scottish Government and Scottish Enterprise have committed £50,000 to support the UK’s largest research, industry and government partnership in carbon capture, use and storage (CCUS).

Established with SFC funding in 2005, Scottish Carbon Capture & Storage (SCCS) is a research and knowledge exchange partnership between Heriot-Watt University, the University of Aberdeen, the University of Edinburgh, the University of Strathclyde, and the British Geological Survey. SCCS also works to develop research and teaching, with engagement at St Andrews, Glasgow, Robert Gordon and other universities across Scotland.

CCUS is a group of technologies that capture carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions at source to prevent them being vented to the atmosphere and escalating climate change. CCUS can decarbonise the power, industry, heat and transport sectors, which account for 83% of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions.

SCCS has assisted in bringing Scottish experts to the EU funded ACT Acorn Project. Led by energy consultants Pale Blue DotEnergy, the Acorn project is working to develop the UK’s first operational carbon capture and storage (CCS) project at the St Fergus Gas Terminal in Aberdeenshire. The project has received funding from the Scottish Government, UK Government, and the European Union.

The project will see existing terminal infrastructure re-purposed to capture around 200,000 tonnes of CO2 per year initially, which will then be transported for storage in depleted North Sea gas fields, using re-conditioned existing pipelines.

CCUS is one of six priorities in the Scottish Government’s Energy Strategy and is also a key policy of the UK Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy’s Clean Growth Strategy.

Globally, power and industry account for about 50% of all greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. While Scotland’s electricity system is expected to be largely decarbonised by the 2030s, the Scottish Government’s Climate Change Plan recognises CCS “as the only viable technology capable of mitigating industrial scale CO2 emissions in some of the world’s most carbon intensive industrial processes”.

The UK’s offshore geological storage potential is estimated at over 78 gigatonnes of CO2 (the equivalent of over 200 years of the UK’s 2017 CO2 emissions). One tonne of CO2 gas fills roughly the same space as a small house.

SFC

Closer to home, SFC has reduced its own carbon footprint by 70% (from 342 to 101tCO2) since 2008-09 and is taking further steps to improve sustainability with a Cycle to Work scheme, and the introduction of food waste recycling and a reusable coffee cup library.

Projects featuring inspirational and impactful collaborations between business and academics are being invited to enter the fifth Scottish Knowledge Exchange Awards.

Designed to throw a spotlight on projects that have had a positive impact on the economy, society or the environment, the awards are open to universities, colleges, research institutions and businesses.

Next year’s awards will have six categories including the Innovation of the Year award, the multiparty collaboration award, and the Rising Star award for students who have helped to increase innovation within a business.

The awards are organised by SFC-funded Interface whose Director, Dr Siobhán Jordan, said:

“We would like to see entries from as many university and college partners as possible. Scotland’s academics and researchers do a tremendous amount of work with industry and that sharing of knowledge can make a huge difference in getting a new idea to market, where it can make a significant difference to people’s lives.”

 

 

“Collaborations between universities, colleges and businesses are a transformational force for the innovative economy we need to support Scotland’s future prosperity. The Scottish Knowledge Exchange Awards play an important role in showcasing this work and I’m very much looking forward to seeing this year’s finalists”.

The judging panel will be looking for collaborations which show innovation, impact and transformation and will also be seeking to honour individuals who have made significant contributions to knowledge exchange.

The deadline for submissions is 5pm on Friday, 29 November 2019 with the awards being presented at a celebratory event on 27 February 2020.

Full details of the awards and how to enter can be found on the Interface website.

Independent review of research pooling

Research pooling

The Scottish Funding Council (SFC) has today published the results of an independent review of its Research Pooling Initiative. The review, led by Professor Louise Heathwaite, confirms that the investment made by SFC to facilitate collaboration across Scotland’s research base has had significant benefits.

In 2005, in the face of increasing global competition which posed significant challenges to Scotland’s research landscape, SFC partnered with Scotland’s universities to launch a major initiative to drive collaboration across Scotland’s core science disciplines. This pioneering investment recognised that in order to compete on a global stage, Scotland needed to create a critical mass of excellent research in order to compete effectively for funding, research staff and doctoral students both nationally and internationally.

The main findings from the Heathwaite Review include:

The review also highlights some important challenges and makes recommendations for the future to ensure that Scotland remains competitive in the modern research landscape.

Commenting on the report, Stuart Fancey, Director of Research and Innovation at the SFC said:

“The Scottish Funding Council welcomes the findings of this review. Scotland took a bold step in bringing its top research teams together to create virtual departments large enough to take on the world’s best universities. We are therefore delighted that this investment has paid off and that Scotland remains competitive on the global research stage.

From securing investment to establish a Scottish centre of excellence in medical imaging to facilitating university collaboration to deliver solutions to industry challenges in advanced manufacturing, research pooling has had a real impact on the people of Scotland and the wider Scottish economy.

We would like to extend our thanks to Professor Heathwaite and to all those who contributed to the review. SFC will now take time to consider the Review’s recommendations for the future.”

ENDS

Background: Research Pooling Case Studies

SINAPSE (Scottish Imaging Network: A Platform for Scientific Excellence)

In November 2018, a SINAPSE-led collaboration of 15 partners across academia, industry and the NHS was successful in securing £10m from Innovate UK to establish a Scottish centre of excellence in medical imaging and digital pathology with artificial intelligence (AI). The Industrial Centre for Artificial Intelligence Research in Digital Diagnostics (iCAIRD) will build on significant investment across Scotland and focus on the application of AI in digital diagnostics, ultimately enabling better and earlier diagnosis and more efficient treatment of patients. iCAIRD’s medical imaging research will include developing solutions for more rapid treatment for stroke, expert chest x-ray reading, and partly automated mammogram analysis for breast cancer screening. The centre will also carry out digital pathology research to achieve rapid and more accurate diagnosis in gynaecological disease and colon cancer.

The existence of SINAPSE was significant to the success of the funding bid given its 10-year track record of developing and strengthening relationships among the iCAIRD participating organisations involved with medical imaging. Reviewer feedback referred to “well established existing partnerships”, “clear evidence of nationally leading research and innovation in the targeted areas” and “an existing environment of collaborative working”.

SRPe (Scottish Research Partnership in Engineering)

SRPe is a key delivery partner in the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS), providing a pathway for Scottish universities to collaborate on skills provision and delivery of solutions to industry challenges in advanced and digital manufacturing. Within the NMIS programme SRPe has secured £1.5M of additional investment from SFC as part of its Advanced Manufacturing Theme for skills provision to meet critical industry skills gaps. Within this SRPe is delivering 30 industry doctorates (NMIS-Industry Doctorate Programme in Advanced Manufacturing (NMIS-IDP)) and a CPD programme in Advanced Manufacturing Technology and Leadership for Scottish industry / SMEs to support their journey towards Industry 4.0 / digital manufacturing. This investment will leverage a further £1.8M of external investment, at least £1.5M of which will come from industry.

SUPA (Scottish Universities Physics Alliance)

SUPA’s graduate school is seen as one of the flagship successes of pooling. It encompasses all Physics graduate students in Scotland and has state of the art video classroom facilities. SUPA students are asked to complete 40 hours of advanced specialist courses and 20 hours of professional development training during the first two years of their studies.

Offering such a comprehensive range of specialist courses delivered by top researchers from across the SUPA partnership is unique in the UK, and the number of collaborating universities at this level is probably unique in the world. This gives significant advantage in recruiting high quality PhD students and is an important factor in funding bids to EPSRC, STFC, EU and other bodies.

MASTS (Marine Alliance for Science and Technology for Scotland)
SUPER

Building on their reputation for collaboration and previous track records in environmental research, members of MASTS, through the Scottish Universities Partnership for Environmental Research (SUPER), have secured £5m of funding from the UK Natural Environment Research Council for its innovative Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP).

Recognising that individual ecosystems or geographical areas are parts of larger systems that must be studied together, the SUPER DTP has been designed to take a joined-up ‘Catchment to Coast’ approach to understanding our freshwater and marine environments, including their marginal habitats. The £5 million award will fund between 60 and 90 PhD students.

SULSA (Scottish Universities Life Sciences Alliance)

SULSA was instrumental in securing the establishment of the IMI European Lead Factory in Dundee, a pan-European platform for drug discovery. This represented an investment of over £80M in Scotland. SULSA also received additional funding of £3m from Scottish Government through SFC to secure and anchor this investment and to maximise the use of the facilities across the sector.

SULSA also facilitated the entry of 10 Scottish programmes into the first phase of the European Lead Factory (ELF). A further £1.25m of funding has been secured from the second phase which was announced in May 2019.

SICSA (Scottish Informatics and Computer Science Alliance)

In November 2017, SICSA launched the SICSA Cyber Nexus, which aims to establish a coherent and vibrant Scottish Cyber Security and Resilience innovation community linking academia, business, government, the public sector and the third sector. The SICSA Cyber Nexus delivers a range of funding and events across Scotland, including: Workshops; Conferences; Summer Schools; Innovation Projects; Distinguished Visitor Fellowships; Industrial Fellowships; and a Researcher Exchange Programme.

Today is European Day of Languages 2019. Hosted by the Council of Europe since 2001, European Day of Languages celebrates speaking more than one language (European or otherwise), cultural diversity, and lifelong language learning in and out of school.

This year is also the UN International Year of Indigenous Languages. So why not take the time to learn another language or re-discover one of Scotland’s national languages?

Language resources