Photo: EAUC / Jas Sansi
The 2025 Green Gown Awards ceremony for the UK and Northern Ireland took place yesterday evening at the Library of Birmingham.
The Awards, established 21 years ago, celebrate the very best of tertiary education’s work to tackle the climate emergency. Yesterday’s event was attended by over 350 people eager to support the finalists and celebrate the winning entries from among the 112 shortlisted applicants.
There were four Scottish winners announced at this year’s ceremony and one highly commended finalist.
Glasgow Kelvin College won the category award for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Sustainability. Its Cycling for All project includes a confidence course for students who require learning support due to disability. The College’s ultimate goal is for a ‘just transition’ where all students, regardless of background or ability, have the same access to sustainable opportunities.
For its Sustainable Marcomms project, the University of Edinburgh, winner of the Tomorrow’s Employees award, provided over 300 staff with a basic introduction to sustainability in marketing and communications. A further 18 employees received advanced training to become advocates for long-term change.
The University of St Andrews carried away the Nature Positive trophy for its ambitious project to improve ecological integrity along 16 kilometres of the Fife coastline. Over 15 months, more than 400 students, staff and community volunteers took part in conservation opportunities and training sessions.
Fife College won the Next Generation Learning and Skills category for its partnership role in a ground-breaking Community Retrofit and Heating Innovation project. The initiative offered a two-day “Domestic Retrofit in Practice” course to residents and workers across Fife.
Queen Margaret University was highly commended in the Benefitting Society category for its on-campus Outdoor Learning Hub. The Hub includes a discovery trail, howff and small forest area designed to enrich students’ experience and contribute to sustainability, health and wellbeing.
Martin Farley, UKRI Associate Director of Environmental Sustainability Programme, said:
“The 112 finalists this year demonstrate the real impact that educational institutions can have in driving environmental innovation and creating positive change. These awards highlight the creativity and commitment of those who are leading by example.”
Full information about all the finalists and winners at the 2025 Green Gown Awards is available on the Green Gown website.
Photo: Jeff Holmes
The Winning Students 100, Scotland’s national sport scholarship programme, has announced its 2025-26 cohort, marking a record-breaking year for applications and reaffirming its status as a world-leading dual-career programme.
This year’s intake will see 106 student athletes supported as they pursue excellence in both sport and academia. Spanning 31 sports and 18 further and higher education institutions, this year’s in-take of athletes represent the brightest of young sporting talent based in Scotland.
The scholarship is funded by the Scottish Funding Council, sportscotland, and Scotland’s higher education and further education sector and managed by Scotland’s University for Sporting Excellence, the University of Stirling.
Winning Students was established with Scottish Funding Council funding in 2008 and saw over 1,700 scholarships awarded during its first phase. Well known athletes who have benefited from the scheme include Olympic medallists Laura Muir, Duncan Scott, Vicky Wright and Seonaid McIntosh.
Several of this year’s athletes have represented Team Scotland and Team GB at the highest level, with many setting their sights on the world stage, with aspirations to compete at the likes of the Winter Paralympic and Olympic Games and the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games.
Among them are athletics star Megan Keith, who has been named as part of Team Scotland for Glasgow 2026, artistic gymnastics talent Cameron Lynn, Edinburgh-based swimmer Archie Goodburn, ice hockey player Ruby Newlands and Dumfries and Galloway College curler Logan Carson and Paralympic swimmer Toni Shaw.
Designed to empower Scotland’s most promising sporting talent to excel both academically and athletically, the prestigious Winning Students 100 programme provides athletes with grants of up to £3,000.
The programme works with colleges and universities to offer additional support such as academic flexibility, ensuring student athletes can balance the demands of high-performance training, international competition and rigorous academic schedules.
Winning Students 100 also has a dedicated hardship fund, which provides additional support to student athletes from areas of higher deprivation, making athletic opportunities more accessible to more people.
Cathy Gallagher, Chair, Winning Students 100 Advisory Board said: “Winning Students 100 is a bold and forward-thinking investment in the future of Scottish sport and education. The programme positions Scotland as a true pioneer, delivering a comprehensive support system that empowers athletes to achieve their full potential.
“The programme is about cultivating well-rounded leaders who are prepared for success in all aspects of their life. This year’s record-breaking applications highlight the programme’s reputation as a world leader in dual-career support, and we are proud to champion these exceptional individuals.
“This dual focus on academic and sporting excellence has made Winning Students 100 a powerful platform for success. By working closely with sportscotland, the Scottish Funding Council, partner institutions, and national governing bodies, we ensure that the programme continues to deliver value to students, parents, institutions, and funders alike. Together, we are shaping the future of Scottish sport and education.”
Artistic gymnast Cameron Lynn, who studies Sport Business Management at the University of Stirling, said: “Winning Students 100 is a massive help in terms of my studies, my training and performance. This next year is very important leading up to the Commonwealth Games, as it is a home Games, and I’m really looking forward to competing for my country if I’m selected. Being a Winning Students 100 scholar helps me massively in my preparations for the Games and allows me to perform and study to the best of my abilities.”
For more information about Winning Students 100 and the 2025-26 cohort, visit www.winningstudents-scotland.ac.uk
SFC’s Chief Operating Officer, Martin Boyle (third from right), on a visit to Fife College during the construction of the new campus
Scotland’s first net-zero-ready tertiary education building opened its doors to students for the very first time today.
The new Dunfermline City building at Fife College is a modern, flexible and low carbon facility. It forms part of the £200 million Dunfermline Learning Campus, a 60 acre site that also includes Woodmill and St Columba’s high schools.
Ahead of its opening, College Principal, Jim Metcalfe, described the new campus as “an incredible investment by the Scottish Government and the Scottish Funding Council.”
Every element of the new campus has been carefully designed to support innovation and sustainability and to create an inspiring environment for learners both now and in the future.
Martin Boyle, Chief Operating Officer at the Scottish Funding Council, said:
“As Scotland’s tertiary education funding body, we’re committed to making it as easy as possible to navigate the pathways between school, college and university.
“The Dunfermline Learning Campus will be unique in its ability to support people as they develop their potential from secondary school onwards, and go on to contribute to society and the economy.
“The campus will also be at the forefront of exciting changes around where and how people learn, and will become a fantastic asset to the Fife region.”
The first ever national plan for strategic investment in Scotland’s college campuses moved a step closer yesterday with the official launch of the next phase of the College Infrastructure Investment Plan.
Designed for the future, the College Infrastructure Investment Plan will review trends in digital learning and net zero as well as the use of built assets.
The launch was marked by a workshop at the Stirling headquarters of Colleges Scotland. Delegates from colleges from across the country gathered to learn more about the next phase of activities which are due for completion in autumn 2026.
During the successful first stage of work, a vital milestone was achieved through the building of a pioneering new database of the complete Scottish college estate.
Martin Boyle, Chief Operating Officer of the Scottish Funding Council, said:
“Our ambition is for college campuses that are high quality, smart and sustainable places to learn, and that support the best outcomes for people, society and Scotland’s future economy.
“The launch of the next phase of the College Infrastructure Investment Plan represents a major milestone in our progress towards that ambition.
“It also marks the continuation of the close partnerships we have built with college estates teams, and I would like to thank everyone who worked so hard to support us during the first stage of the programme.”
The next steps will see the Scottish Funding Council working with colleges and organisations such as the Scottish Futures Trust, the Environmental Association of Colleges and Jisc, the tertiary education technology and data experts, to further advance the investment plan.
Photos: Forth Valley College, UHI Inverness, UHI Perth and West Lothian College
The results of the Scottish Funding Council’s annual survey of college student satisfaction and engagement are unveiled in a report published today.
The survey looks at the class of 2024-25 and includes full-time and part time students studying on both further and higher education courses. Across Scotland, over 43,700 students are represented in the findings.
Today’s figures show that overall satisfaction rates remain high, with nine out of ten full time students saying they were satisfied with their college experience.
That broad figure is the same as last year. However, the finer detail shows an increase in overall satisfaction across all levels and modes of study. Compared to last year’s results, this grew for both part-time students (+ 0.8 percentage points for further education and +3.1 percentage points for higher education) and full time students (+ 0.8 percentage points for further education and +4.8 percentage points for higher education.)
In line with last year’s findings, the results also showed strong recognition for efforts by college staff to encourage students to take responsibility for their own learning. Students also agreed strongly with the statement that their time at college had helped them develop knowledge and skills for the workplace.
Commenting on the results, the Scottish Funding Council’s Chief Operating Officer, Martin Boyle, said:
“It’s really important that our annual survey of student satisfaction and engagement continues to reflect the student voice and inform our work as Scotland’s tertiary education authority.
“In his recent report on Scotland’s colleges, the Auditor General referred to the high rate of student satisfaction in colleges. This latest report shows overall satisfaction has increased even more – a remarkable achievement for colleges at a time of pressure on public finances.
“It’s also great to see students recognising the value of their college studies in preparing them for eventual employment.”
The College Student Satisfaction and Engagement Survey 2024-25 is now available on our website.
Scottish Knowledge Exchange Awards 2025
Photograph by Martin Shields
Tel 07572 457000
www.martinshields.com
© Martin Shields
Scotland’s prestigious awards showcasing business–academic collaboration are now open for applications – and there are two inspiring new categories.
The Scottish Knowledge Exchange Awards, organised by SFC-funded Interface, are now in their 11th year. After celebrating their tenth anniversary at the Edinburgh Futures Institute, the 2026 awards will take place at the University of Stirling’s iconic MacRobert Arts Centre.
The new categories unveiled by the organisers for next year’s awards are Trailblazing AI Collaborations and Research and Innovation in Digital Health and Social Care. The new categories have been developed in partnership with two of Scotland’s national innovation centres; The Data Lab and The Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre respectively.
The awards have an enviable track record of attracting high quality entries from across Scotland, and 32 individuals, teams and projects were shortlisted for last year’s event.
Find out all about next year’s event, including the full list of categories and how to apply on the Interface website.
Photo: University of Edinburgh
The Scottish funding Council (SFC) has confirmed continued funding for Converge, the national organisation supporting university entrepreneurs.
The announcement came as Converge celebrated its 2025 award winners who shared a total prize pot in excess of £400,000.
Alongside the SFC funding announcement, Converge also revealed a new strategic partnership with Scottish Enterprise to create smoother pathways for university entrepreneurs to access business support.
Francesca Osowska, Chief Executive of the Scottish Funding Council, said:
“We’re proud to have been able to support Converge’s impact on Scottish innovation and entrepreneurship for the past 14 years.
“Converge continues to be an integral part of our knowledge exchange and innovation infrastructure and plays an increasingly important role as a catalyst for the thriving and sustainable businesses we need for the future economy.”
The full story and details of this year’s Converge 2025 winners and runners-up can be found on the Converge website.
Photos: Glasgow Caledonian University, University of Edinburgh, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and University of Glasgow
The Scottish Funding Council (SFC) has today (26 September 2025) published two reports that provide an aggregate picture of the financial health of Scotland’s colleges and universities.
Based on their annual accounts for academic years 2022-23 and 2023-24 and latest forecasts up to 2027-28 for colleges and 2026-27 for universities, the reports provide detailed information at sector level on the operating position, cash balances, sources of income, expenditure, liquidity, cash flow, borrowing and capital expenditure.
Both colleges and universities continue to operate in an extremely tight fiscal environment, with downward trends in cash balances showing both sectors under pressure.
While neither sector is homogenous, and the forecasts represent a snapshot in time, both colleges and universities face similar risks to their financial health, including:
- Increasing staff costs.
- Further flat cash settlements or unanticipated public spending cuts.
- An uncertain macro-economic outlook, including rising inflation and persistently high interest rates.
- Continuing high energy costs.
- Infrastructure pressures, exacerbated by the impact of RAAC, impacting on the delivery of high-quality learning, teaching and research.
- The requirement to invest in the achievement of public sector net zero targets.
- The impact of UK government policies on maintaining international fee income.
The reports also outline the mitigating actions that colleges and universities are taking to adapt to challenges and uncertainties, including staff restructuring, vacancy management, freezing of non-essential spend, reviewing course portfolios, curriculum rationalisation and consolidation, moves to online and blended learning, delaying capital spend and reviewing estates strategies.
Commenting on the reports, SFC Chair, Professor Cara Aitchison, said:
“While these reports represent a snapshot in time, the trends we’re seeing indicate the serious implications of the tight fiscal environment in which colleges and universities are operating and the need for action to address the challenges they face.
“We are encouraged by the proactive steps being taken by institutions as they adapt and build in resilience for this changing environment, recognising that this may include difficult decisions to secure long term financial sustainability which is a requirement of our Financial Memorandum.
“We continue to engage closely with Scottish Ministers on the case for investment in colleges and universities which are the drivers for economic growth, addressing child poverty, supporting the transition to net zero and delivering excellent public services.
“We are also increasing levels of engagement and monitoring activity for those institutions facing the highest risks to their financial health and are working with them to understand and assess plans to bring them back to a sustainable position.”
The Scottish Funding Council (SFC) is welcoming five new members to its Board. The appointees will replace Board members whose terms of office have recently come to an end.
The five new members are:
- Professor Elizabeth Gammie
- Steven Grier
- Professor Sue Rigby
- Joanna Campbell
- Danny Gallacher
Professor Elizabeth Gammie is an Emeritus Professor at Robert Gordon University and a Chartered Accountant with the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS). A strategic and forward thinker, with extensive experience in change management, she combines educational experience with financial and business acumen.
Steven Grier is a former Director at Microsoft where he has held several leadership positions over last 24 years, including Country Manager of Microsoft in Scotland. Mr Grier has 36 years of experience in technology leadership across a broad spectrum of business and industry in Scotland and wider UK. A life-long supporter of work-based learning and skills, Grier also chaired the Scottish Apprenticeship Advisory Board Equalities Group and is a SAAB Main Board member.
Professor Sue Rigby is Vice Chancellor and Principal of Edinburgh Napier University, taking this role in January 2025 after seven years leading Bath Spa University. In both roles, Professor Rigby has worked to strengthen links between FE and HE, for example by setting up a University Centre in partnership with New City College. She was a member of the Board of Quality Assurance Agency for five years until 2024 and is a member of the advisory board of the Arts and Humanities Research Council. She is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.
Joanna Campbell is Principal and Chief Executive of Glasgow Kelvin College, bringing extensive leadership experience from across the college sector. She began her career as a lecturer and has since held a broad range of executive and non-executive roles in both education and industry. With a strong record of delivering transformational change, widening access, and driving innovation, she is committed to the role of colleges as engines of growth and social mobility through skills development.
Danny Gallacher has over eight years’ experience of strategic leadership and governance in Higher Education in his current role as a Governor on the Court of Glasgow Caledonian University. His most recent role was as Chief Executive of SEEMiS Group LLP, providing core national education services to all Local Authority schools in Scotland. He was previously a Chief Officer at City of Edinburgh Council and also held senior leadership roles during a lengthy career in the communications sector with Virgin Media, ntl and BT.
Commenting on the new appointments, chair of the SFC Board, Professor Cara Aitchison, said:
“I’m delighted to welcome new members to our Board; this group of people brings exceptional senior leadership experience across colleges, universities, business, industry and apprenticeship providers.
“In the coming period we will be working hard to seize the opportunities that present themselves as we work with the Scottish Government and our partners towards the reform of tertiary education, skills and research in Scotland.
“We face significant challenges as we continue to support Scotland’s universities and colleges navigate changes in the funding and policy environments in which they operate while continuing to deliver maximum impact.
“The new members announced today will add strength and diversity of experience to our board and I very much look forward to them joining us. I would also like to say thank you to the three members who are leaving the board, David Alexander, Lorna Jack, and Professor Lesley Yellowlees, each of whom has made a significant and sustained contribution to its work.”
The Scottish Funding Council (SFC) has announced a three-year funding agreement to enable Interface to continue connecting businesses to the expertise of Scottish universities and colleges. The funding starts this month and will continue until to July 2028.
At the same time SFC has confirmed ongoing support for Interface’s innovation voucher programmes, which enable small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), universities and colleges to collaborate on the development of new products, processes and services.
SFC has funded Interface since its establishment in 2005. Over the last two decades Interface has played a key role in connecting over 2,200 SMEs with college and university expertise. According to over 90% of Interface-supported businesses, their project would not have happened without the organisation’s support. Once established, over half the partnerships continue to work together on further research and development.
Other impacts from Interface’s work include over 11,000 new or improved products, processes, services and practices; the creation or preservation of over 3,300 jobs; and over £28 million of increased turnover for the businesses which have benefitted from Interface’s help.
For the past ten years Interface has also been behind the inspirational Scottish Knowledge Exchange Awards. The awards are designed to celebrate the success of collaborations for innovation and to raise the profile of knowledge exchange.
Commenting on the new funding, Francesca Osowska, Chief Executive of the Scottish Funding Council, said:
“We are proud to have been able to support Interface’s impact on business innovation across many sectors of the economy throughout Scotland for the past 20 years. Combining expertise and talent from universities and colleges with ideas and knowledge from progressive companies is crucial to Scotland’s economy and future prosperity.
“This new wave of funding will support Interface to continue to connect business innovation with academia and foster new products, processes and services.”
Amelia Whitelaw, Director of Interface, said:
“This funding means we can help even more businesses turn bold ideas into reality and strengthen Scotland’s position as one of the most innovative small nations in the world.”
Francesca Osowska and Amelia Whitelaw recently went to the National Robotarium at Heriot-Watt University to meet Lorenzo Conti, the founder of Scottish technology company, Crover. Crover is currently developing a revolutionary robot that “swims” through grain to improve storage management, cut waste and improve efficiency. A video of their visit is featured at the top of this page.
More information about Interface’s 20 year anniversary is available on the Interface website.
Photo: Sabhal Mòr Ostaig UHI
A new report published today by the Scottish Funding Council marks another step forward in the development of a plan to steer investment in Scotland’s college campuses. Designed for the future, the College Infrastructure Investment Plan will anticipate trends in digital learning and net zero as well as the use of built assets.
Today’s progress report appears at the same time as new guidance for colleges selling land or buildings bought with public money. Ministers have approved changes that will see colleges able to keep all the proceeds from sales under £1 million and 70% of proceeds from sales over £1 million.
According to the progress report, a vital milestone towards the national investment plan has been achieved by building a pioneering new database of the complete Scottish college estate. The groundwork has also been laid for new approaches to the curriculum to be fed into the emerging infrastructure investment plan.
Francesca Osowska, Chief Executive of the Scottish Funding Council, said:
“Our ambition is for college campuses that are high quality, smart and sustainable places to learn, and that support the best outcomes for people, society and Scotland’s future economy.
“Today’s report makes clear the progress that has been made towards having strong and accurate evidence for the investment decisions that will help us achieve that ambition.
“The changes approved by ministers and the new guidelines for the selling of land and buildings also provide a real boost for our collective long-term approach to infrastructure investment.”
The next steps will see the Scottish Funding Council working with colleges and partners such as the Scottish Futures Trust, the Environmental Association of Colleges and Jisc, the tertiary education technology and data experts, to further advance the investment plan.
The College Infrastructure Investment Plan is due for publication in Autumn 2026.
The College Infrastructure Investment Plan: Progress Report and Guidance for the Disposal of Publicly Funded Land and Buildings and the Retention of Proceeds by Colleges are now available on the SFC website.
Photos: Robert Gordon University, University of Dundee, Dundee & Angus College, UHI Moray.
New figures from the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) show that 16.7% of Scottish-domiciled full-time first degree entrants to university were from the 20% most deprived areas in 2023-24, up from 16.3% in 2022-23.
The findings come from the ninth SFC Report on Widening Access, providing updated statistics relating to equality and diversity of the student population across Scotland’s Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and colleges for 2023-24.
The report also shows that 2,030 people from a care experienced background began an undergraduate higher education course at a Scottish college or university in 2023-24. This number represented 2.4% of entrants to all undergraduate HE courses at Scotland’s colleges and universities in 2023-24, and is up from 2.1% in 2022-23. Both the numbers of care experienced students and the percentage of student intakes have increased every year since 2013-14.
The report also makes clear that, while students form Scotland’s most deprived communities are now more equally represented in entry numbers to higher education courses, this is not equally the case for different institutions and for different types of study.
Commenting on the statistics, Scottish Funding Council Chief Executive, Francesca Osowska, said:
“It is great to see a continuation of more young people from a care experienced background go to college and university and is an important part of working towards fair access.
“It is also encouraging to see in today’s report an increase in the number students going to university from the most deprived areas in Scotland. This is incredibly important in helping to create a more equal society, by widening access to tertiary education for all and ensuring that economic development benefits all parts of Scotland.”
Photo: University of Glasgow
The most recent data published by UCAS, the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service, show a steady increase in applications to Scottish universities across a range of demographics, including a record high of 18-year-old applicants over the last decade and a record high of SIMD20 applicants.
The total number of applicants has increased by 2% from the previous year, reaching 130,030, an increase of 2,510 individuals year-on-year, while the number of applicants from Scottish domiciles has risen by 1% from last year and is up by 3% since 2023. This equates to an additional 570 applicants compared to last year and an increase of 1,590 since 2023.
Particularly significant is the increase in applications from Scots aged 18 and under, which has grown by 5% year-on-year to 21,810. This marks an influx of 1,000 more young Scots aspiring to higher education.
However, the data also indicate a slight decline in demand from ‘mature’ Scots (aged 21 and over), which has decreased by 2% compared to the previous year.
International interest in Scottish higher education continues to rise, with a 4% increase in applications, adding 1,750 new applicants. This brings international applicant numbers to their highest level in the past decade.
While demand for nursing programmes remains steady, there has been an 11% year-on-year decrease in applications for midwifery courses. Similarly, applications for teacher training have dropped by 9% compared to the previous year.
Encouragingly, the number of applicants from SIMD20 areas, representing the most deprived regions in Scotland, has reached a record high. There are 210 more applicants from these regions compared to last year, making up 17.6% of all Scots applying to UK providers. This is a 0.3 percentage point increase year-on-year, the highest proportion seen in recent years.
Commenting on the statistics, Scottish Funding Council Chief Executive, Francesca Osowska, said:
“The latest statistics from UCAS underline the continuing appeal of Scottish universities, with a steady increase in applications across a range of demographics, including school leavers and learners from our most disadvantaged areas. They also demonstrate that Scotland continues to be an attractive destination for overseas students.
“In a highly competitive market, it is hugely encouraging to see the sector’s resilience and ongoing commitment to diversity and inclusion reflected in today’s report.”
The June deadline marks the end of the ‘Main Scheme’ application window whereby applicants can make up to five applications to full-time undergraduate courses at Higher Education Institutions (HEIs); after this point all new applications are automatically entered into Clearing.
Photo: Edinburgh Napier University
The finalists for WorldSkills UK’s national competition programme have been announced today. Amongst the hopefuls competing for the prestigious awards in November will be 32 students from Scotland.
This year’s finalists represent six Scottish colleges and Glasgow Caledonian University as well as a Scottish charitable training trust. One Scottish finalist currently studies at the University of Middlesex. Seventeen of the finalists come from New College Lanarkshire; the College came top of last year’s medals table.
WorldSkills UK’s competitions showcase excellence in over 40 skills and help learners and apprentices develop world-class aptitudes and abilities.
For the first time the finals will be held in venues across South Wales, with the medallists announced at ICC Wales Newport on Friday 28 November.
Francesca Osowska, Chief Executive of the Scottish Funding Council, said:
“The WorldSkills UK finals are an incredible opportunity for learners and employers to come together and recognise and promote the value of a wide range of skills.
“Reaching this stage is a remarkable achievement that reflects the commitment, talent, and hard work of all this year’s finalists.”
Ben Blackledge, CEO WorldSkills UK, said:
“Our competitions test learners’ skills against global industry standards, providing a powerful platform to showcase their talents. Over two intensive days of competition they will gain valuable skills and confidence which will turbo charge their careers and make the UK economy more competitive.
“With employers all over the UK crying out for high-quality skills this is a fantastic opportunity for hundreds of learners to show they are ready for work. I can’t wait to see the finalists in action.”
For more information on the 2025 finals, see the WorldSkills UK website
Photo: University of St. Andrews
The results of the UK-wide National Student Survey, one of the largest of its kind in the world, were published today. The survey captures final year undergraduate’s opinions about their experiences at university, including how their course was organised, taught and assessed.
Students in Scotland are also asked to condense their judgement in a question that asks about their overall satisfaction. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the trend has been for less positive responses in this part of the survey. Overall satisfaction in Scotland fell from 85% in 2020 to 77.1% in 2023. However, this year’s results see the trend continuing to be reversed with a 2.6% increase on the 2024 results bringing overall student satisfaction for 2025 to 80.7%.
Over 350,000 students responded to the 2025 National Student Survey and around 25,000 of these responses came from students at a Scottish university. Since its introduction in 2005, questions asked in the national survey have changed. The current set of questions was introduced in 2023.
Francesca Osowska, Chief Executive of the Scottish Funding Council, said:
“The experience of students at university during and immediately after the pandemic was inevitably affected despite the best efforts of Scottish universities to alleviate the situation.
“It’s great to see the continuation of an upward trend in overall satisfaction in the sector. It shows the positive impact of focusing on student needs and the quality of learning and teaching.”
Further information about the National Student Survey 2025 is available from the Office for Students website.
The Minister for Higher and Further Education has announced that Professor Cara Aitchison has been appointed as Chair of the Scottish Funding Council. Professor Aitchison has been Interim Co-Chair since April 2025, working alongside Deputy Chair, Lorna Jack.
Professor Aitchison has had a distinguished academic career holding senior leadership roles in Scotland, the wider UK, and internationally – including over a decade as a successful university principal in England and Wales. She is an Honorary Professor at the University of Edinburgh’s Moray House School of Education, where she was previously Head of School, and Professor Emerita in Geography and Cultural Economy at Cardiff Metropolitan University where she was previously President and Vice-Chancellor.
Amongst Professor Aitchison’s previous contributions in the public sphere are membership of the Economic Growth Board of Cardiff Capital Region and the Council of CBI Wales. She was also chair of Universities UK’s Staff-Student Sexual Misconduct Advisory Group and Chair of the Wales-Ukraine Universities Group established by Universities Wales and Welsh Government.
A native of Stirling, Professor Aitchison is a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences, the Royal Geographical Society, the Learned Society of Wales, and the Higher Education Academy.
Commenting on Professor Aitchison’s appointment, Higher and Further Education Minister, Graeme Dey, said
“Professor Aitchson brings with her extensive knowledge and experience and I am confident that she is absolutely the right appointment to lead the board of the Scottish Funding Council.
“We are embarked upon a significant reform programme, encompassing the entire post-school education and skills landscape, within which it is intended the SFC will take on important additional responsibilities.
“Having worked with her over the past few months I am in no doubt that Professor Aitchison is the right person to take on this role and help shape the short, medium and long term direction of a repurposed SFC.’’
Welcoming the appointment, Francesca Osowska, Chief Executive of the Scottish Funding Council, said:
“I am very much looking forward to working with Cara as our new Chair and join the other members of the Board and SFC staff in welcoming her to the role.
“Her wide understanding of tertiary education and research will be a huge asset to the Scottish Funding Council, as will her track-record of business partnership.”
Professor Aitchison said:
“I am delighted to take on a role that is pivotal to enabling successful outcomes for students, communities, and the economy across the whole of Scotland.
“I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the work of my predecessor, Mike Cantlay, and to recognise the significant contribution over the last few months of Lorna Jack with whom I’ve greatly enjoyed sharing the role of Interim Chair; I very much look forward to continuing to work with Lorna as she resumes her role as Deputy Chair.
“I’ve been very impressed by the leadership and staff within SFC and by the commitment of the Board; we are well placed to deliver the reform programme while supporting colleges and universities to deliver education, research, innovation and skills within a very challenging financial environment. ”
Further details can be found on the Scottish Government website.
Photo (left to right): Newbattle Abbey College, UHI Perth, Fife College, City of Glasgow College
The Scottish Funding Council has published its College Student Outcomes report for the academic year 2023-24. The report, previously titled ‘College Performance Indicators’, takes a sector-wide look at the performance of Scotland’s colleges and illustrates trends over the past five years.
The publication reports rates of early withdrawals (criteria laid out in SFC’s Credit Guidance for Colleges 2024-25) and rates of non-completion, a new measure which focuses on those students who did not withdraw from their course early, bringing in changes which were strongly supported in a consultation about the publication held last year.
This week’s figures show that over two thirds of full-time students (67.1% for further education and 66.9% for higher education) successfully completed their courses in the latest year. Early withdrawals are at historic lows of 4.6% for further education and 3.0% for higher education, as students at college are increasingly likely to continue their studies for longer.
Enrolments for higher education students rose by 1% (240 enrolments) and by 4.1% (1,612 enrolments) for further education full-time students.
The report also found that male students were more likely than female students to successfully complete their further education programme while the opposite was true for higher education.
Full details of all the findings in this week’s report are now available along with supporting documentation.
Photo: University of Dundee
The Scottish Funding Council (SFC) has today, 19 June 2025, published the findings of an independent investigation into the circumstances that led to the financial challenges facing the University of Dundee.
Led by Professor Pamela Gillies and conducted by international professional services firm, BDO, the independent investigation was commissioned to understand the reasons why the University of Dundee’s financial position deteriorated so seriously and apparently so suddenly. The investigation’s findings were presented to staff and students at a Townhall meeting at the University today before being published on SFC’s website and shared with wider stakeholders.
Key findings from the investigation are as follows:
- Poor financial judgement.
- Inadequate management and reporting.
- Poor monitoring of the financial key performance indicators.
- Lack of agility by leadership in responding to a fall in income.
- Weak governance in relation to financial accountability by the Court.
Commenting on the report, SFC Chief Executive, Francesca Osowska, said:
“We would like to thank everyone who has taken the time to engage with the independent investigation into the circumstances that led to the serious financial challenges facing the University of Dundee. We recognise that this has been, and continues to be, an unsettling time for staff and students, and we are grateful to everyone who has supported the Investigation Team in doing its work.
“Given the seriousness of the situation, it was important that the investigation was conducted with rigour and transparency. We welcome the robust and comprehensive report that has been provided by Professor Gillies and the team at BDO.
“The report has identified a range of issues that contributed to the financial challenges facing the University, however, it is quite clear that there have been failures in financial monitoring and reporting, and failures in governance. We will now take the time reflect on the actions, both immediate and longer-term, that should be taken to minimise the risk of this situation happening again.”
A copy of the report has been shared with the University Court and SFC will engage with the University as it develops and implements an action plan to address the main findings.
The full report is available on the Scottish Funding Council website.
A report published today by the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) has recommended that the funding body and the College Development Network (CDN), the national enhancement and improvement agency for Scotland’s colleges, work together to meet emerging professional development needs in colleges. This includes collaborating on work in relation to the implementation and delivery of Scotland’s Tertiary Quality Enhancement Framework and in support of the training and development of college staff and governors and developing professional best practice.
The report, which forms part of SFC’s commitment to understanding the outcomes and impacts of its funding, incorporates views from a survey of college leaders. It also takes into account interviews with people CDN’s services and a review of ongoing performance data provided to the Scottish Funding Council. The College Development Network currently receives around £1.4 million of annual funding from SFC.
The report found that CDN’s work reflected the priorities of both the Scottish Government and the Scottish Funding Council, and that recent changes to its leadership and operations have had a positive effect on the organisation’s ability to engage with and better understand the needs of colleges. There was also recognition for CDN’s effectiveness as a key intermediary and enabler bringing together staff and boards across the college sector and other sector agencies involved in tertiary education.
Amongst the report’s further recommendations are the active exploration of other opportunities for collaboration and for the building of a better appreciation of the part partner agencies play in learning and quality improvement for Scotland’s colleges.
Francesca Osowska, Chief Executive of the Scottish Funding Council, said:
“Good evaluation is a fundamental part of the Scottish Funding Council’s ambition of creating a connected, agile and sustainable tertiary education and research system for Scotland.
“It’s not just about looking at the work of organisations that receive our funding, it’s also about SFC thinking about its own role as a provider of funding and as a strategic partner supporting the success of its investments for students, communities and the economy.
“I look forward to working alongside CDN to implement the recommendations of the report and achieving even greater success in the future.”
Marie Hendry, Chief Executive of the College Development Network, said:
“We welcome the findings of this important evaluation and are pleased to see recognition of the value and impact of CDN’s work across Scotland’s college and wider tertiary sectors.
“It’s particularly encouraging to see our role as a connector and enabler of professional learning and quality improvement acknowledged. We look forward to continuing our close collaboration with the Scottish Funding Council as we respond to emerging priorities together and welcome SFCs ongoing commitment to CDN’s role and our impact.
“By working in partnership, we can help shape a responsive, future-focused system that supports college staff and delivers meaningful benefits for learners and communities across Scotland.”
Professor Ken Thomson OBE, Chair of College Development Network (CDN), said:
“We welcome this important report and look forward to working with SFC and colleagues and partners across the sector to take forward its recommendations.
“The report highlights the critical work of CDN in delivering for colleges and the wider tertiary sector through our enhancement, improvement and quality work and we are grateful to SFC for its ongoing commitment to supporting CDNs strategic ambitions. We are particularly grateful to those colleges, partners and colleagues who took the time to respond to the review and for their positive feedback on CDN’s renewed focus on prioritising engagement and impact.”
Today’s report is part of an ongoing series of evaluations of SFC’s strategic funding which will be made available to colleges, universities and the wider public on the SFC website.
You can find the today’s report on the new Evaluation of Investments page of the SFC website.
Photos: University of Dundee, University of the Highlands and Islands, Edinburgh Napier University and University of Edinburgh.
The vital role that university research and innovation play in society, the economy and the environment was the theme of a visit to Heriot-Watt University today by the Minister for Higher and Further Education, Graeme Dey.
The minister toured the Medical Device Manufacturing Centre (MDMC), a partnership between Heriot-Watt, Robert Gordon University and the universities of Edinburgh, Glasgow and Dundee. The Centre provides specialist advice on a no-cost basis to medical manufacturers across Scotland. The team at MDMC includes engineers, scientists, and clinicians, and has the equipment and expertise to support companies through prototyping and feasibility testing.
The visit also marks the launch of a Scottish Funding Council campaign to promote the importance of research and innovation for four key priorities within the Scottish Government’s programme for government. Universities across Scotland have contributed to a new collection of case studies to showcase the impact of their research and innovation in the areas of eradicating child poverty; growing Scotland’s economy; tackling the climate change emergency; and improving public services.
Higher Education Minister, Graeme Dey, said:
“Supporting research and innovation is of high importance to the Scottish Government, which is why we increased our underpinning investment in Higher Education capital, which includes funding for research by over £11 million.
“Today’s visit was an opportunity to see why the sector is so important – research at the Medical Device Manufacturing Centre is transforming the delivery of healthcare through its expertise in robotics, photonics and AI.
“More broadly, the spotlight case studies published today demonstrate the vital contribution of our research and innovation sector in supporting the Scottish Government to meet its ambitions around eradicating child poverty, growing the economy, tackling the climate emergency and improving public service across the country. We will continue to work closely with the sector as we work to make those ambitions a reality.”
The Scottish Funding Council’s Chief Executive, Francesca Osowska, said:
“At the Scottish Funding Council we have a privileged view of the incredible work Scotland’s universities do across a vast and varied range of research and innovation activities.
“The impact of this work is felt here in Scotland and in countries across the world, and it’s making a real difference to people’s lives, their prosperity and the future sustainability of our planet.
“The new case studies we’re spotlighting from today will help to spread the word about this amazing work beyond SFC, universities and government and help more people understand the importance of Scottish research and innovation”.
The case studies are now available on the SFC website.