The Can Do Innovation Summit, VentureFest Scotland’s headline event, is now open for registration.
The summit will be held on 20 November at the Glasgow Science Centre. With over 30 speakers, interactive workshops and an innovation showcase, the event aims to help businesses maximise their potential by adopting new technologies and business cultures.
The keynote speakers at the event will be Jenn Gustetic, programme executive for the Small Business Innovation Research programme at NASA. Alongside Jenn will be Morgan Walker from LEGO’s Creative Play Lab. Originally from Glasgow, Morgan works with companies like Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment and Apple in digital play technology and gaming.
VentureFest is led by Glasgow City of Science and Innovation and supported by the Scottish Government, the Scottish Funding Council, Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and other Scotland Can Do partners.
You can register now on the Scotland Can Do website.
Scotland’s Minister for Business, Fair Work and Skills, Jamie Hepburn has launched year three of the Flexible Workforce Development Fund (FWDF) with a further £10 million investment.
Eligible employers can use the FWDF to address priority skills gaps in their organisation by accessing up to £15k in funding to create tailored training programmes with their local college.
Mr Hepburn said:
“As a Government we are working hard to ensure our economy, employers and employees are fit and ready to respond to the changing needs of business and emerging economic demands. We are committed to creating a more successful country and opportunities for people living in Scotland whilst creating sustainable and inclusive growth.
“I am delighted to launch year three of our innovative and unique Flexible Workforce Development Fund – investing a further £10m. The fund is an important initiative to enable Scottish employers, who are subject to the UK Apprenticeship Levy, to access funding to upskill and re-skill their existing workforce.”
SFC Chief Executive, Karen Watt, said:
“This fund has a strong track record of benefitting employers, employees and colleges alike. It is fantastic to see further investment going in to helping Scotland address its skills gaps, and we strongly encourage employers to look into how they could take advantage of this opportunity.”
Colleges Scotland Chief Executive Shona Struthers said:
“It’s terrific news that colleges will continue to exclusively administer and deliver the £10 million Flexible Workforce Development Fund (FWDF) in its third year. This programme is forging closer relationships between colleges and levy-paying employers, which is hugely beneficial to the learners, businesses, and colleges.
“The training and development colleges are providing through FWDF is hugely important in upskilling and retraining existing workforces and filling identified skills gaps. The Fund is also equipping learners to keep pace with emerging technologies and changing markets, so it has been an immensely positive development for the college sector in Scotland, and the increase in uptake in Year 2 compared to the first year, outlines its growing significance.”
For more information, including a list of college contacts for interested applicants, please see SFC’s Flexible Workforce Development Fund page.
As part of our commitment to ensuring that our education and skills system is meeting the needs of employers and the economy, the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) has today (10 July) published guidance for Scotland’s universities on a new £6m funding stream aimed at helping them to develop and offer short, flexible provision for employees to upskill and reskill, including provision of in-work learning.
The funding stream will support universities to build on already established relationships with employers, tapping into employer intelligence and using relevant curriculum content, to explore a range of models, including both existing and new material, which will meet the changing needs of Scotland’s economy.
Recognising that people seeking to change careers will have different needs and different levels of prior education, and different professions or sectors of the economy will have different requirements, we are encouraging the sector to work in partnership to develop a range of diverse delivery models, minimising duplication by geography, delivery method and curriculum area.
While universities are being encouraged to think creatively about how best to develop new models, the following broad parameters will apply:
- New provision should be shorter in duration – usually significantly shorter – than a full academic year.
- New provision should be flexible in terms of start date.
- New provision should address a particular unmet skills need.
Launching the new funding stream, Director of Access, Skills and Outcome Agreements John Kemp said:
“The world of work and learning is changing and we need to be ready for it. We know that technology will change job roles, skills needs and the way we live our lives.
“This means supporting colleges and universities to work with businesses to expand their work-based learning and to create a more agile, dynamic and responsive skills and education system. With this new fund we will be supporting universities to build on the good work they are already doing to meet the needs of employers and employees to upskill and reskill.”
A funding programme which helps business collaborate with Scotland’s universities and colleges has awarded over £6 million to boost innovation.
Funded by the Scottish Funding Council and administered by Interface, Innovation Vouchers offer a range of grants to help businesses offset the cost of collaborating with Scotland’s higher and further education institutes.
The funding can lead to positive impacts on business development with new products, processes and services. It also enhances university research through its application in real-world scenarios.
This month marks a key milestone for the funding programme, where more than 1,200 Standard Innovation Vouchers, with a value of up to £5,000 each, have been paid over the past seven years to support company-led innovations developed in partnership with a college or university. On top of this, 57 follow-on projects funded by the Scottish Funding Council, Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise, have resulted in additional funding of £700,000 in the same time period.
Minister for Further and Higher Education Richard Lochhead said:
“Research and innovation are fundamental to create sustainable and inclusive growth.
“I very much welcome this milestone as evidence of the key role Innovation Vouchers and Interface play in creating additional value from the Scottish Government’s investment in our universities, colleges, innovation centres and research institutes to the benefit of businesses.”
Karen Watt, Chief Executive of the Scottish Funding Council, said:
“Innovation Vouchers play a vital role in connecting small and medium sized businesses with the knowledge and expertise in our colleges and universities. 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.”
Dr Siobhàn Jordan, Director of Interface, said:
“This funding has enabled these businesses to further develop or enhance a commercial product or service or improve productivity through the creation of a new business process. That’s an incredible £6.7 million that has been paid out to support business innovation in Scotland over the past seven years alone.”
Recent changes to the Innovation Voucher Programme – including a new Workforce Innovation Voucher to support innovation to develop a company’s workforce – have introduced greater flexibility to all eligible Scottish Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) and a greater financial incentive to businesses to deepen their collaborations with their academic partner.
One such business that has benefited from the funding stream is Welbot, which was created to combat the ill effects of sedentary computer-bound working practices, in particular reducing employee stress and fatigue and helping manage musculoskeletal issues and general health through positive behaviour change. The company were matched by Interface to three universities to look at occupational stress, wellbeing in the workplace, and behaviour change in a technology setting, which helped the business develop and launch a commercial product.
Commenting on the level of support they have received from Interface, Welbot CEO Mykay Kamara, said:
“It’s amazing how much Interface have achieved in supporting us, especially with links to universities, across all the areas of expertise.”
Further information on Innovation Vouchers can be found on the Interface website.
Full case study on Welbot’s collaborations with universities.
The Scottish Funding Council has today, 10 July 2019, launched a consultation seeking views on the policy and funding allocations from its Widening Access and Retention Fund (WARF).
In support of our commitment to creating a genuinely level playing field where further and higher education is accessible to all, SFC allocates funding to universities with a high intake from Scotland’s most deprived areas (SIMD20) and where retention rates tend to be lower. The funding is intended to support the successful outcomes of students from the most disadvantaged and deprived backgrounds, with the ultimate aim being to secure equalised retention rates.
Given the progress already being made on widening access to higher education, with 2017-18 results showing that 15.6% of first degree entrants to university were from SIMD20, up from 13.8% in 2016-17, SFC is reviewing the funds to ensure they are fit for purpose to deliver the implementation of the Commission for Widening Access (CoWA) recommendations.
Dr John Kemp, Director of Access, Skills and Outcome Agreements said: “The intensification of Outcome Agreements and the implementation of the Blueprint for Fairness are achieving positive change. We therefore need to ensure that these funds are having the greatest possible impact, particularly in relation to progression and outcomes. We look forward to receiving feedback from a wide range of stakeholders to help us develop the fund in a way that ensures this positive progress continues.”
A copy of the consultation can be found at WARF Consultation.
The Scottish Funding Council (SFC), supported by Salix Finance, is launching a £19m programme aimed at boosting investment in energy efficiency across Scotland’s higher education institutions. The programme will provide accessible support and finance for carbon reduction throughout the sector and build capacity for funding in additional years, to benefit both students and staff.
The funding from the Universities for the Future programme, which is accessible to all universities in Scotland, will be allocated by SFC over the next two financial years. All universities within Scotland are invited to make use of the funding which will support several initiatives, including collaboration between public sector bodies, reduced maintenance backlogs through energy efficiency projects, and improved student experience through modernised estates.
The programme will support a wide range of technologies, including building fabric improvements, efficient heating upgrades and the reduction of carbon emissions in laboratories, with Salix supporting SFC through the recommendation of applications.
David Beards, Senior Policy Officer at SFC, said:
“This programme is aimed at helping Scottish universities with projects that lower their carbon footprint, as well as increasing their energy efficiency and enhancing students’ learning environment. It is a timely and significant opportunity for universities to take advantage of, following the First Minister’s recent declaration of a climate emergency, and we look forward to receiving innovative bids from the sector in partnership with Salix.”
Jennifer Roberts, Programme Manager for Scotland at Salix, said:
“We are pleased to support the decarbonisation of Scottish universities in partnership with the SFC. It’s never been more important to engage with universities and students on the impact of climate change and to ensure we’re working in partnership to reduce our carbon footprint.”
For further information, please contact the Salix Scotland team on 020 3102 6900.
The Scottish Funding Council (SFC) welcomes the results of the 2019 National Student Survey (NSS) which were published today.
The survey, the largest of its kind in the world, shows that the overall satisfaction rate with Scottish universities has increased to 84% in comparison with 83% last year.
Martin Fairbairn, Chief Operating Officer of SFC said,
“Student feedback is an important source of intelligence which helps to drive improvements at universities and we therefore welcome this publication.
“It’s encouraging to see that this year’s results show a slight rise in student satisfaction across Scotland as a whole but there is still more that can be done at the level of individual institutions. We will work with our universities to understand how they will use these results as part of their plans to continually enhance the student experience.”
The NSS asks students a range of questions on issues including the quality of teaching, assessment, academic support, organisation and management, resources, and student voice. It complements the College Student Satisfaction Survey which tracks the satisfaction and engagement of college students in Scotland, providing a full picture of student satisfaction across both the further and higher education sectors. The results from the 2018-19 College Student Satisfaction Survey will be published by SFC in October 2019.
University museums – beyond the exhibitions
Visitors to the recent 2019 Fisherfolk Festival in the Easter Ross village of Balintore were amongst the first people to see a unique collection of paintings documenting past life on the Moray Firth.
The exhibition was made possible by the long reach of SFC’s museums, galleries and collections grant. The University of St Andrews, one of the nine Scottish universities to receive the special funding, has been working with the community to restore and display the work of John Paterson, a local fisherman and artist who was born on the Black Isle in 1872.
The oil paintings were discovered by the artist’s grandson who found them when clearing out old fishing stores. As well as self-portraits, the paintings depict villagers and record sea faring communities in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The Paterson family had salmon fishing stations along the east coast of Scotland for over 100 years and John Paterson was a well-known figure from Durness to Berwick-upon-Tweed.
Maureen Ross, a director of the Seaboard Centre which hosted the Fisherfolk Festival, said: “When I saw the paintings I recognised the community heritage potential and the endless possibilities this find could have.”
Karen Watt, Chief Executive of the Scottish Funding Council, said: “One of the exciting things about our work is that it reaches into so many parts of Scotland’s educational, economic and cultural life. It’s great that some of our funding has helped to save these paintings for future generations and I hope they will be studied and enjoyed for many years to come.”
The ever-increasing speed of economic, political and technological change presents Scotland with significant opportunities over the next 15 to 20 years.
Anticipating what learners, employers, educators, entrepreneurs and innovators will need to support and help them flourish is the focus of new strategic thinking from two high-profile public bodies published today.
In their new Strategic Plans, national skills body Skills Development Scotland (SDS) and the Scottish Funding Council (SFC), the agency that allocates funding to colleges and universities, outline actions aimed at using their combined budget of c.£2bn to create a more agile, dynamic and responsive skills and learning system.
With a clear focus on supporting the jobs of the future, SDS has committed to fully utilising technology to deliver its all-age Careers Information Advice and Guidance service in new and innovative ways and to support people through up-skilling and re-skilling initiatives.
It will also help employers grow through the continued expansion of work-based learning opportunities and through the promotion and adoption of innovative workplace practices that drive productivity and fair work.
Alongside its commitment to a more responsive skills system, the SFC will focus on creating a level playing field for access to further and higher education and investing in new research and innovation.
Also central to its strategy for the future is helping to make Scotland even more attractive on a world stage to academic talent and research investment.
Deputy First Minister John Swinney welcomed the plans and commended the agencies on their shared vision for the future and collaborative approach. He said:
“Our nation’s biggest asset is its people so I’m delighted to see Skills Development Scotland and Scottish Funding Council publish ambitious and informed plans which put the needs of individuals at the centre.
“We have much to build on including world-class universities, colleges that lie at the heart of their communities, world-leading, all-age careers information, advice and guidance and innovative work-based learning that responds to the needs of both individuals and business.
“This is exactly the forward thinking and aligned working the Enterprise and Skills Strategic Board has demanded and will help meet the ambition for Scotland to become one of the most productive, inclusive and sustainable economies in the world.”
Karen Watt, Chief Executive of the Scottish Funding Council, said:
“Our new strategic framework shows how we will invest in Scotland’s future to make our country the best place in the world to learn, educate, research and innovate.
Our close alliance with Skills Development Scotland will be vital to Scotland’s success in developing skills for a changing economy.
This, together with our partnerships with the enterprise agencies and the ability of Scotland’s universities and colleges to adapt and evolve, is the catalyst we need to achieve our collective success.”
Damien Yeates, Chief Executive of SDS, said:
“Such is the pace and scale of economic, demographic, political and technological change, that even our idea of work and skills will be fundamentally different in the coming years.
“Despite the scale of disruption the world faces, Scotland can become one of the most productive, inclusive and sustainable economies, but only if we act now. We need to understand the dimensions of change and learn to leverage our innate human characteristics and strengths.
“Today we’ve set out plans on how we will work with the Scottish Funding Council alongside other local and national partners to meet these global challenges by equipping our people and businesses with the skills to seize opportunities and achieve their full potential.”
The Scottish Funding Council (SFC) is recruiting up to seven new members for its Council Board.
SFC draws its council board members from a wide range of backgrounds and was one of the first public bodies in Scotland to achieve the Government’s ambition of equal gender representation.
The new board members will be responsible for decisions about the funding of teaching, learning and research in colleges and universities and will represent the organisation on national forums and act as ambassadors for its values and ambitions. As well as attending council board meetings and workshops they will sit on or chair at least one of the Funding Council’s committees.
SFC chief operating officer, Martin Fairbairn, said: “Our new council board members will have the chance to make an important and meaningful contribution to Scotland’s economic, social and cultural development. We are also looking to them to champion Scotland’s learners and to help to create a level playing field where everyone’s talent and abilities can flourish.”
SFC is emphasising that it will welcome applications from anyone who believes they could make a strong contribution. It would particularly welcome interest from groups which are currently under-represented on Scotland’s public bodies, such as women, disabled people, ethnic minorities and people aged under 50.
Full details and an application pack are available on the public appointments website. The closing date for applications is midday on Monday 15 July 2019.
The Commissioner for Fair Access, Sir Peter Scott, has published his second annual report to the Scottish Government.
Today’s report highlights the “welcome progress” made towards meeting national targets and recognises the “full-hearted commitment” to achieving fair access in Scotland. Sir Peter describes as impressive the “whole sector” approach adopted by organisations, including the Scottish Funding Council, which are working together to meet the challenge.
The Commissioner argues for a new way of thinking about fair access which sees it as creating an asset rather than addressing a deficit. He points to the qualities of determination and resilience brought into higher education by students from more challenging social backgrounds and talks about the positive benefits for universities and colleges of a wider and more democratic student population.
According to the report, reaching the goal of fair access would be “a great achievement …which would confirm Scotland’s historical reputation as a nation that has always placed a high value on education”.
The report touches on the implications of Brexit and cautions that any Brexit “bounty” from EU students being treated as international students is likely to be limited.
Today’s report has been welcomed by the chief executive of the Scottish Funding Council, Karen Watt, who said: “The Commissioner’s report shows evidence of good progress and that universities and colleges are working hard to ensure everyone has a fair chance of a place on a higher education course.
“The report also points out that there is a lot of work still to do. We will continue to play our part in this collective challenge until we have a truly level playing field.”
Congratulations to all winners of last night’s Herald Higher Education Awards, and all the outstanding finalists!
The SFC-sponsored Widening Access Award at this year’s event was claimed by the University of Glasgow for its medical school access programme, who narrowly beat worthy finalists the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, The Open University and West Lothian College.
For more information see: The Herald Higher Education Awards 2019.
The Scottish Funding Council’s Financial Transactions Programme is part of the funding package behind the UK’s biggest centre for avian research and skills.
The £5.6 million Allermuir Avian Innovation and Skills Centre was opened today by Lord Henley, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.
The Centre, owned by Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) aims to improve nutrition, health and welfare across the international poultry industry.
£1.9 million has been invested by the Centre for Innovation Excellence in Livestock (CIEL) with funding from Innovate UK. SRUC invested £3.6 million with support from the Scottish Funding Council’s (SFC) Financial Transactions programme, aimed at aimed at strategic campus development, energy efficiency or improved student experience projects.
The Allermuir Avian Innovation and Skills Centre will significantly broaden the poultry research capability available through CIEL’s nationwide network of university partners, enabling businesses to work directly with world-leading researchers to develop new technical innovations in food production.
Once fully operational, the Allermuir Avian Innovation and Skills Hub will employ between 30 and 35 people and host four post-graduate students.
Professor Wayne Powell, Principal and Chief Executive of SRUC, said:
“CIEL and Innovate UK are excellent partners in the project and I’d also like to thank the Scottish Funding Council for its support.
“A future with industry, researchers and governments working in closer collaboration is how we will meet the agricultural challenges of tomorrow.”
Mike Cantlay, SFC Chair said:
“The Allermuir Centre is exactly the type of project we want to benefit from our Financial Transactions programme.
“This facility will provide research and skills development for an important area of our economy and will contribute to Scotland’s reputation for world-leading research. I look forward to following its progress and to celebrating its successes in the future.”
A copy of ‘Scotland’s Colleges 2019’ and Audit Scotland’s press release can be found online.
The reports highlights financial challenges for the sector, particularly around maintenance and repairs. It notes student numbers have increased and the sector exceeded its activity targets, though attainment gaps still exist for students from the most deprived areas, students with disabilities, and care-experienced students.
Commenting on the report, Further Education Minister Richard Lochhead said:
“Audit Scotland finds that the college sector reported a small, but improved, underlying financial surplus in 2017-18. The Scottish Funding Council (SFC) assists colleges with their medium and long term financial planning and provides support as required. We are also working with the sector to diversify income streams. The SFC will produce a medium term capital investment strategy for the college estate which will provide valuable evidence to determine future investment.
“Since 2007, the Scottish Government has invested more than £7 billion in colleges, with over £600 million this financial year. In real terms we’ve allocated over £810 million to capital projects including new campuses and buildings. More than 11,000 more full-time college students successfully completed their course last year compared to a decade ago, with improving attainment rates for students from the most deprived areas over the last six years.”
Karen Watt, Chief Executive of the Scottish Funding Council (SFC), said:
“In a tight financial environment it is encouraging to see that colleges are performing well, exceeding their learning activity targets and adapting to changing economic and demographic trends. Funding will, however, continue to be challenging and we will therefore support colleges in their financial planning and work with Scottish Government to identify appropriate funding models for future capital investment.”
Shona Struthers, Chief Executive of Colleges Scotland, said:
“Scotland’s Colleges 2019 confirms that colleges continue to operate in narrow financial margins and face significant challenges. The underlying financial position of many colleges is concerning, as almost half of the 26 colleges are forecasting recurring financial deficits by 2022-23.
“The report also highlights that there is currently insufficient capital investment to properly address the needs of the sector, so it is critical that the upcoming Comprehensive Spending Review delivers on revenue and capital investment for college learners by safeguarding the sector which upskills the workers and supports inclusive economic growth.
“The Scottish Government is increasing revenue investment in colleges, which we welcome, but this additional funding is being used to cover the growing costs from harmonising pay, terms and conditions across the sector. EIS-FELA members currently being balloted on whether to accept the deal being offered by colleges should recognise that all that additional money is coming from colleges making cuts elsewhere.
“It is also clear from this report that colleges’ ability to generate alternative funding, such as through commercial income, remains limited, therefore, the sector would welcome greater flexibility to help in this area.
“This report also highlights that student numbers are increasing and the sector continues to meet its learning activity targets. In further encouraging news, the report outlines the vital role colleges play in widening access as the number of disabled, ethnic minority, and care-experienced students is increasing.
“Colleges will continue to work closely with the Scottish Government and Scottish Funding Council to provide sufficient sustainable investment which will enable colleges to continue delivering benefits for students, employers, and the economy.”
Progress towards widening access to higher education is detailed in a new report today from the Scottish Funding Council (SFC).
The report focuses on the socio-economic status of students and on protected characteristics such as gender, race and disability as well as those having experience of care. It measures how many are setting out on degree courses, how many remained in higher education after a year, and their achievements at the end of their studies.
The report is the official publication for measuring progress towards Scottish Government targets arising from the work of the Commission on Widening Access.
Amongst today’s findings are that, in 2017-18, more students from Scotland’s 20% most deprived areas began a first degree course at a Scottish university than in the previous year. They represented 15.6% of Scottish students starting these courses in that year – an increase of 685.
Looking at how well universities are doing in preventing students from deprived backgrounds from dropping out of their course, the report found the retention figure went up from 87.4% to 89.4% between 2016-17 and 2017-18. There was also a small (0.2 percentage point) increase in the retention figure for care-experienced students in the same period.
The number of students from Scotland’s 20% most deprived areas celebrating their first degree rose in 2017-18. This was up over 3% on the previous year.
Further and Higher Education Minister Richard Lochhead said:
“This report demonstrates that universities and colleges are making strong progress on widening access to higher education. We have a record increase in entrants from our most deprived areas, and the gap between those from the least and most deprived backgrounds is smaller than ever. There are already 12 institutions exceeding their 2021 target to have at least 10% of full-time first degree entrants from the most deprived areas.
“The proportion of disabled students and black and minority ethnic students entering higher education is also increasing, while key university retention rates for both deprived and care experienced students are improving. Overall, that means many more people in Scotland – no matter their background or circumstance – are benefitting from higher education, giving them an equal chance of success.”
Commenting on the findings of the report, SFC chief executive, Karen Watt said:
“This report shows evidence of good progress. This is happening because universities and colleges are working hard to ensure everyone has a fair chance of a place on a higher education course.
“It is especially encouraging to see evidence that universities are improving their support for students from disadvantaged backgrounds so that the retention rate for these students is getting closer to the norm.
“Achieving greater diversity and fair access is a collective challenge and there is a lot of work still to do. However, this report shows Scotland is leading the way in this important area.”
Today’s report is the third Scottish Funding Council Report on Widening Access. The reports have been published in response to a recommendation from the Commission on Widening Access to enhance the analyses and publication of data on fair access.
A report produced by a forum of Scotland’s colleges highlights potential challenges for the sector in the wake of the UK’s exit from the EU.
It comes ahead of a second College and University Brexit Summit to be hosted by the Minister for Further Education, Higher Education and Science, Richard Lochhead this Thursday 30 May, to discuss how institutions and other organisations can collectively address the challenges arising from the UK’s expected departure from the EU.
The report lists demographic changes, loss of EU funding, and the potential loss of skilled and unskilled EU nationals from the sector as challenges but, given its role as a key provider in the skills training system, highlights how colleges are well-placed to respond to emerging skills gaps.
According to SPICe analysis of 2015 ONS data ‘EU Nationals Living in Scotland’, indications are that sectors most likely at risk include (but are not limited to) service sectors: hospitality and tourism, public administration, finance, health and social care and retail, as well as construction, agriculture and manufacturing.
Almost a third of EU nationals in employment in Scotland in 2015 (33,000) were working in the distribution, hotels and restaurant sector. The Scottish economy is heavily reliant on these areas, particularly in remote and rural locations as well as in Edinburgh.
Replacing experienced and trained staff from a range of critical industries from a contracted pool of talent will present a unique test of the college sector’s ability to adapt and flex its offer in order to continue meeting the needs of individuals, communities and businesses throughout and beyond the transition process.
Minister for Further Education, Higher Education and Science Richard Lochhead said: “We know Scotland faces challenging demographics and skills gaps in the existing workforce that will be exacerbated by leaving the EU, particularly in sectors where there is a high percentage of EU nationals in the workforce. We have already seen how the continued uncertainty around the UK’s relationship with the EU has led to the employment of EU nationals falling in the past year.
“Addressing these challenges and maintaining our strong research and teaching links with Europe will require our colleges and universities to work closer together to shape an education landscape that can continue to re-tool today’s workforce and train tomorrow’s.
“That’s why I have called this week’s Brexit Summit, to bring Scotland’s Further and Higher Education sectors together to discuss how we respond to these additional challenges that leaving the EU would bring.”
SFC Chief Executive Karen Watt said: “There’s no doubt Brexit will test the sector’s ability to adapt and overcome multiple challenges, from the emerging skills gaps to the loss of Erasmus+ funding and opportunities for students to study and gain overseas life experience.
We’ve met extensively with the college sector over the past nine months to understand their concerns and how they’re planning to respond. It’s been very encouraging to see colleges being proactive about how they will adapt to these challenges in their local area.”
Shona Struthers, Colleges Scotland’s Chief Executive, said: “The college sector in Scotland has consistently enunciated concerns over the implications of Brexit on our society and economy, however, we also recognise that colleges’ agility and capacity to respond quickly and nimbly to difficult situations can be used to fill the anticipated skills shortages many sectors are facing.
“The College Brexit Forum is extremely useful in bringing the right organisations around the table to discuss and plan how to mitigate skills gaps as well as the loss of EU funding programmes and life-changing opportunities from Erasmus+.”
This week’s summit in Edinburgh will build on the previous summit held at the University of Glasgow last November.
Targeted at both colleges and universities, the summit will focus not only on practical ways in which institutions might rise to the challenge of addressing potential skills gaps in Scotland’s economy, but also how they might continue to work in partnership with EU colleagues and enable continuing opportunities for students and staff following the UK’s departure from the EU.
College makes student sport history
Orkney College UHI has become the sixth college in Scotland to commit to the College Sport Award framework.
It joins Fife, Borders, Edinburgh, City of Glasgow and Barony [SRUC] colleges as a trailblazer for the scheme which plays an important part in Scottish Student Sport’s ambition of building a world-class system for physical activity and student sport.
Orkney College principal, Professor Eddie Abbott-Halpin, was joined by Scottish Student Sport’s chief operating officer, Stew Fowlie, to sign a pledge to recognise the value of sport and physical activity in enriching the student experience.
Speaking at the event, Professor Abbott-Halpin, said: “By signing the College Sport Award pledge, I feel that, between our students and staff here at the college and the Highlands and Islands Student Association, we can really make sport and physical activity a more prominent feature of Orcadian student life.”
He went on to say that: “As educators we realise that wellbeing and mental health play a key part in a student’s life and have a direct impact upon their wider experience at college. By signing this pledge we aim to progress work that will not only increase the physical activity of our students but also help athletes across the county.”
Stew Fowlie commented: “It was a great pleasure to visit the staff at Orkney College UHI and to spend some quality time with Principal Eddie Abbot-Halpin talking about the future of physical activity and sport at the college.
“I got a clear sense of his commitment to active student lifestyles and I am certain that the college, with strong support amongst both students and staff, will do all it can to advance this important agenda over the years to come. Orkney College may be a small institution but it has big ambitions, and I look forward to supporting its future progress through the SSS College Sport Award.’
The College Sport Award, supported by the Scottish Funding Council and endorsed by sportscotland, is a self-improvement framework for colleges in Scotland that would like to develop or advance the sporting offer at their institution.
The Scottish Funding Council (SFC) has announced final levels of university and college funding for the next academic year.
Today’s announcement confirms earlier figures based on the draft Scottish budget. This means overall college funding has increased to meet the harmonisation and job evaluation costs of national bargaining for lecturers and support staff. Funding for student support is also confirmed to rise next year, enabling colleges to take better account of learners’ personal circumstances.
Teaching grants in most universities will increase overall, largely due to significant increases in undergraduate places for future nurses, midwives, doctors and teachers recently communicated to the sectors by SFC.
Minister for Further and Higher Education Richard Lochhead said:
“This investment supports our colleges and universities to continue to develop well-educated, highly skilled people and deliver the world class innovation that is central to our economic future.
We want all learners to reach their full potential and we also continue to invest record amounts in student support, with over 120,000 undergraduates studying in Scotland benefitting from free tuition every year.”
Funding for research and innovation in Scottish universities remains broadly unchanged in cash terms. Capital funding, including the provision of low-cost loans, will be around £12 million more than last year. The loan initiative is aimed at ‘spend-to-save’ projects, including energy efficiency; developing university campuses; and collaborations between institutions.
To support the sector’s response to ambitions laid out by the Enterprise and Skills Strategic Board, SFC is challenging universities to develop new, more flexible programmes to allow employers and individuals to develop new skills. By repurposing £6.1m of funding in this way, SFC is supporting the sector’s efforts to play its part in the upskilling and reskilling agenda.
Karen Watt, Chief Executive of the Scottish Funding Council, said:
“The Scottish Funding Council is committed to continuing to fund teaching, research excellence and innovation. I am also pleased to confirm today funding for new skills programmes in universities which will be an important part in Scotland’s economic future.”
Scottish universities are being invited to take advantage of up to £60M of 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 Scottish Funding Council’s (SFC) 2019-20 Financial Transactions programme, aimed at ‘spend-to-save’ projects including energy efficiency, strategic development of university campuses for the improvement of the student experience, and strategic collaboration between institutions.
Higher Education Minister Richard Lochhead made the announcement today during a visit to the University of Strathclyde to see progress on its new Learning & Teaching Building.
Scheduled to open in 2020, the Learning & Teaching Building will incorporate the University’s former Colville and Architecture Buildings at North Portland Street and Rottenrow, bringing together new learning and teaching spaces, student support services and the University of Strathclyde Students’ Association (USSA) in a purpose-designed facility.
The University was awarded a £10M loan from the SFC’s Financial Transactions programme to support the £60M development. Works began in late 2018 and are expected to be complete in summer 2020.
Minister for Further and Higher Education Richard Lochhead said:
“The University of Strathclyde’s Learning and Teaching building is just one example of the many projects made possible with funding from the Financial Transactions programme. I am impressed that the project is already having a positive impact on students at the university, with engineering students receiving mentoring on-site.
“The £60 million funding announced today for 2019-20 will facilitate further development of university campuses across Scotland and I look forward to seeing this take shape.”
Professor Scott MacGregor, Vice Principal of the University of Strathclyde said:
“The £60M Learning and Teaching Building project emphasises the continuing importance we place on providing a first-class experience for our students and represents the single-largest capital investment in our campus to date and forms part of our £1 billion estate development programme to 2022-23.
“The support we’ve received through the SFC’s Financial Transactions programme is greatly appreciated and this is being committed to not only enhancing the student experience but also to improving the environmental sustainability of our campus and the fabric of this part of the city centre.”
Mike Cantlay, SFC Chair said:
“The Learning & Teaching Hub is a great example of the type of project our Financial Transactions programme is aimed at. It will be a fantastic asset for Strathclyde students.
“It’s great to see other projects from previous years coming along as well, like the University of St Andrews’ energy efficiency measures, which will reduce its carbon footprint by 3,905 tonnes of CO2 per year, and Robert Gordon University’s redevelopment of its Schoolhill building into a new digital innovation hub.
“This year’s programme represents another great opportunity and we encourage all institutions to think about how they could take advantage of this for strategic estates development or carbon footprint reduction.”
Infrastructure group Balfour Beatty was selected by the University of Strathclyde to deliver the new £60 million learning and teaching building in 2018 through the University’s Major Building Construction framework.
Hector MacAulay, Balfour Beatty’s Regional Managing Director for Scotland and Ireland, said:
“We are delighted the Scottish Government has provided funding through the Scottish Funding Council’s Transactions programme, which will enable us to refurbish and extend the University’s Grade II listed Architecture building and neighbouring Colville building.”
“We look forward to completing the Learning & Teaching hub while providing an exciting and inspiring environment for the 23,000 students based on the central Glasgow campus.”
The £60M 2019-20 programme is an increase on the £40M 2018-19 round, and the £20M 2017-18 round. It is estimated that the funded projects from the 2017-18 round, which are now nearing completion, will collectively save £2M and 8,945 tonnes of carbon per year.
SFC will administer the loan funding, and select successful proposals for funding based on their eligibility. For more information on how to submit an Expression of Interest and contact details, click here.
Scottish Association for Mental Health
Mental Health Awareness Week takes place from 13-19 May. This year’s theme is on the topic of body image – how we feel and think about our bodies.
Body image issues can affect all of us at any age and directly impact our mental health.
Last year the Mental Health Foundation found that 30% of all adults have felt so stressed by body image and appearance that they felt overwhelmed or unable to cope.
For more information, see the Foundation’s Get involved this Mental Health Awareness Week! web page
SFC supports ‘Think Positive’ – NUS Scotland’s student mental health project through our Outcome Agreements with all Scottish colleges and universities, which require all institutions to have mental health strategies for staff and students in place.
SFC is also working with Scottish Government to support the First Minister’s announcement of funding to support 80 additional mental health counsellors in colleges and universities in 2019-20.