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Introduction
Foreword
Nicol Stephen, Deputy First Minister and Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning
Last year was one of ambitions fulfilled and challenges renewed in Scotland's Colleges. We saw Colleges continue to excel in their role as agents of change, providing highly important employment skills to students, and bringing substantial benefits to our communities, our economy and our people.
Thriving and dynamic colleges
This Report brings together in a single document many of the key achievements of Scotland's Colleges, and their staff and students. Nearly all of what you will read here has been written by colleges themselves. Together, these accounts paint a picture of a thriving, dynamic college sector which relishes the ever-changing demands made by a fast-changing and competitive economy. This is a sector which is stepping up the pace in tackling the challenges of modernisation, of boosting student achievement and anticipating future demands. It was with huge enthusiasm therefore that in June this year, following my appointment as Deputy First Minister, I assumed responsibility for our colleges.
Promoting prosperity and progress
In successive elections, the people of Scotland have shown their very clear wish to achieve a society which is both prosperous and socially progressive. The Scottish Ministers turn instinctively and confidently to colleges as key players in supporting the delivery of these outcomes. In addressing the demands of the economy, the record of our colleges is unsurpassed. We ask colleges to be at the forefront of preparing people for complex jobs in an increasingly competitive labour market.
At the same time we ask colleges to reach deep into our most disadvantaged communities, bringing opportunities, encouragement and self esteem to people who might never before have aspired to further education and training. We ask colleges to serve every part of Scotland, no matter how remote or rural. And we ask colleges to operate in a way which maintains their financial health, while at the same time securing the greatest possible value from our record investment in them.
Inevitably, challenges such as these place expectations on Ministers too, not least in the task of continuing to secure the resources necessary to support such a challenging agenda. Faced with the ambition of vibrant and committed colleges, budgets will always be under pressure. However the spending plans we announced in the 2004 Scottish Budget, following representations by the Association of Scottish Colleges, gave a particularly clear signal of Ministers' determination to meet the expectations of colleges through a level of funding which was fit for the task. Building on the significant increases of previous years, the Scottish Executive announced plans to boost financial support to the sector to £620 million pa by 2007-08, a cash increase of no less than 45% in only four years. I believe that this substantial investment is entirely justified and will yield significant returns for the people of Scotland.
In our colleges, success comes in all shapes and sizes. Foremost is always the attainment of the individual, successful student for whom college provides a high quality educational experience.
We have continued to develop initiatives aimed at substantially improving the learning environment and providing the very best teaching and learning. We focused our efforts and resources last year on consolidating enrolments close to their record level of two years previously.
The changing college landscape
As Scots, we have much to be proud of in our colleges. The landscape of the sector continues to change as colleges meet demands in the best way. The creation last year of the new Glasgow Metropolitan College was widely celebrated, and more than 20,000 students are now "making it at the Met". Hard on the heels of this successful merger came two further proposals submitted to Ministers in late 2004 by colleges who similarly wished to combine into new, merged institutions. In supporting that ambition, the Parliament has now approved the newest additions to the list of Scotland's Colleges - Adam Smith College and Forth Valley College - both of which came into being on 1 August 2005.
The pace at which the sector pursues plans to modernise and rebuild has continued to quicken. The 2004 Scottish Budget announced substantial extra support to rebuild and renew our college estate. John Wheatley and North Glasgow Colleges launched hugely impressive development plans. And at Edinburgh's Telford College, we have seen the single largest college construction project in the UK, as an entirely new college campus takes shape on the city's Waterfront.
Success through partnership
Scotland's Colleges are guided and governed by boards of management with extensive business expertise and key economic skills. I wish to pay tribute here to the valuable contribution they make, just as I greatly appreciate the professionalism and commitment of the lecturing and support staff. Our quest for efficiency in colleges is key to our ability to continue to demonstrate that extra funding brings genuine, additional benefits. This can set a challenging agenda for both the local and national partnerships in which board members, staff and unions all play a valuable part. I was pleased that the recently launched 'Review of Scotland's Colleges' will include consideration of both governance and staffing issues, including the attractiveness of colleges as a place of work.
Tough challenges
I support a high level of ambition and aspiration. Among the toughest challenges being faced is to attract, and retain in learning, disengaged young people. I believe we are making significant strides in improving access to learning for young people, including those with disabilities and with other barriers. I have seen many impressive examples of colleges working hard to reach groups such as refugees and ex-offenders. The challenge now is to build on these examples of good practice.
Success worth talking about
This Report shows that Scotland's Colleges have a story worth talking about. I want Scots everywhere to know the significant contribution that colleges have made to Scotland in recent years. I stand firmly behind Scotland's Colleges as they proclaim a vast array of success stories, showing unmistakeably what lifelong learning can mean to us all.
I commend this Report to you and I hope you enjoy reading it.
Nicol Stephen, MSP
Deputy First Minister and Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning
"This Report shows that Scotland's Colleges have a story worth talking about. I want Scots everywhere to know the significant contribution that colleges have made to Scotland in recent years."
Supporting Scotland's Colleges
Some key initiatives of the Scottish Ministers during 2004
The Scottish Ministers are committed to providing Scotland's Colleges with the support they need in the promotion of lifelong learning. During 2004, that support was reflected in a wide range of initiatives.
- Ministers announced, in the Scottish Budget, plans to increase further education funding to £620 million pa by 2007-08, representing a cash increase of 45% over four years
- Ministers launched a major review of collaboration between schools and colleges, aimed at providing better opportunities for pupils to take college courses while still at school, (Ministers have since published their Strategy for partnership between Scotland's schools and colleges "Lifelong Partners")
- Ministers continued to work with Scotland's Colleges to develop plans for lecturer qualifications and continuous professional development, and to look at the scope for the development of a professional body for staff
- Ministers and their officials continued to work with representatives of colleges and staff interests through the FE 'Roundtable' Forum and through other work with the Association of Scottish Colleges and the STUC
- Ministers in December 2004 launched the ' ILA Scotland' programme of individual learning accounts, providing targeted support to low-income learners
- Ministers responded positively to requests from colleges which wished to merge, resulting in the creation of Glasgow Metropolitan College, (followed in 2005 by the creation of The Adam Smith College, Fife and Forth Valley College)
- Ministers launched the national roll-out of the programme of Educational Maintenance Allowances, now providing support to over 20,000 students
- Ministers developed comprehensive plans for the delivery of improved information, advice and guidance to learners
- Ministers announced plans to boost funding to support enterprise in education to £86 million
- Ministers launched a comprehensive review of language provision for people who do not have English as their first language
- Ministers launched plans to allow student complaints to be investigated by the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman
- Ministers continued to develop the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework, recognising the key position of colleges in its implementation and the role of the Framework in helping learners to plan pathways through education
Student Enrolments
Scotland's colleges deliver courses at different levels. Their main mission is non-advanced education and training (both vocational and non-vocational). However, colleges also deliver courses at advanced level leading to higher education qualifications (mainly HNCs and HNDs, but also degrees).
In addition colleges offer specialist provision, for example to people with a disability, people with learning difficulties or additional support needs, and people whose first language is not English.
Enrolments
There were in total 467,170 college enrolments in 2003-04, mostly part-time. This continued a very slight downward trend following the peak of over half a million in 2001-02. While the number of enrolments has decreased, the total number of student hours taught in Scotland's Colleges has increased. This is mainly because students are enrolling on more intensive programmes.
About 12% of enrolments (55,610) were on higher education courses and 88% (411,560) on non-advanced courses. The proportion of total activity within Scotland's Colleges attributable to higher education courses shows a significantly greater figure - 24% - than the proportion of enrolments at higher level. This is because courses at this level are generally more intensive than non-advanced courses, which are responsible for 76% of college activity. Taking non-advanced courses on their own, there were 352,290 vocational enrolments and 59,270 non-vocational enrolments.
Student Numbers
Some students enrol on more than one course during the same year. The number of enrolments is therefore higher than the number of students. About 377,750 individual students undertook courses in further education colleges in 2003-04. Of those 325,655 studied at non-advanced level and 52,095 at higher education level.
Staff Numbers
In 2003-04, Scotland's colleges employed 21,779 staff (12,460 full-time equivalent). Of these 13,430 were teaching staff (6,430 full-time equivalent).
NOTES:
1. See Appendix 4 for further details
2. See also 'Key Facts in FE' published by the Association of Scottish Colleges [ http://www.ascol.org.uk/keyfacts.asp ]
The Association of Scottish Colleges
The Association of Scottish Colleges ( ASC) is the policy and representative voice of Scotland's Colleges of Further and Higher Education. It is a valuable partner of the Scottish Executive in the development of policy and in promoting the interests of colleges.
Here, the ASC describes the substantial contribution Scotland's Colleges make in supporting a prosperous and socially progressive Scotland.
Scotland's Colleges at the Forefront of Lifelong Learning
Around half a million enrolments are made by Scots in Scotland's Colleges of Further and Higher Education each year. That's the equivalent of one in ten people engaging in lifelong learning and skills development at main college campuses and outreach centres or by distance learning. Over the next 10 - 20 years Scotland's Colleges aim to make it one in five by widening the opportunity to develop new skills to every family, and every home, throughout Scotland.
Ninety percent of the Scottish population live within thirty minutes of a college, and forty percent live within two miles of their local college. Scotland's Colleges provide learning at over 4,000 sites throughout Scotland, with many located in the work place or in local community centres.
Scotland's Colleges are open to all. They offer a unique range of courses as well as an accessible and friendly learning environment. The average age of college students today is approaching 30. Everyone from age 16 (sometimes younger) to age 60 (and often older) can find a useful course or area of study at their local college that matches their ability and career aspirations.
Scotland needs to build on this success. Traditionally, skills training has been short-term and has come early on in a person's career. Today it needs to be refreshed and maintained throughout a lifetime of work. Few people starting work today will retire in the same occupation 40 years from now.
That is why our Association urges the Government to establish an entitlement to lifelong learning for all people of working age. For too long, the only guarantees have been for young people who secure full-time advanced education or take up pre-job training. 80% of the workforce in ten years time is of working age today. Young people continue to make a huge contribution but cannot be expected to provide all the skills required for all the jobs of tomorrow.
Since devolution to the Scottish Parliament and Scottish Executive, we have seen improvements in the operating environment for colleges. There is a better package of student finance for full-time study at advanced levels and more stable levels of core funding for colleges. This needs to be maintained and built upon. We cannot afford to be complacent.
One huge advantage of Scotland today is that it has excellent higher education at the sub-degree level - mainly of Higher National Certificate and Diploma courses in colleges. It is perhaps a little recognised fact that over 25% of all higher education provision is actually delivered by Scotland's Colleges. It is due to the contribution of colleges that Scotland can boast that over 50% of 17-21 year olds go on to higher education.
A key element of Scotland's strategy for lifelong learning is the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework. This will bring together all academic, vocational and occupational qualifications within a single, 12-level framework, and free up choice and opportunities for students to progress at different times and in different ways. This is very different from the "once only", or scholarship, model of lifelong learning. It offers learning for all and credit for all that is learned. In short, it is student centred.
It is no accident that the most prosperous countries on earth all have highly successful and well resourced community colleges! In the 21st Century, Scotland has to have the full range of vocational, technical and specialist skills on which business and public services depend to remain competitive and high quality. For that to be delivered colleges need to stay at the forefront of lifelong learning. For that to be possible, we need to invest more in Scotland's Colleges and their students.
"It is due to the contribution of colleges that Scotland can boast that over 50% of 17-21 year olds go on to higher education."
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